New gastronomy book showcasing Rwanda’s culinary heritage has been released
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Loading... - Brenda Kioki
- 08 Oct 2024
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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the Rwanda Arts Initiative (RAI), has released a new book titled Uruhimbi: Rwanda Gastronomy and Culinary Art. Launched in September at the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, the book highlights Rwanda’s rich culinary heritage and underutilized local ingredients, showcasing them as key components of sustainable and resilient food systems.
The book features contributions from four Rwandan chefs—Angelique Iraguha, Eric Kanyemera, Phiona Ninsiima, and Ramadhan Sindayigaya—who have infused traditional Rwandan dishes with modern culinary techniques. They focus on ingredients like sorghum, taro, cowpea, nightshade, and less-used staples like spider plants, purple yam, and finger roots (impombo). These ingredients, while deeply rooted in Rwandan food culture, are often overlooked but offer tremendous nutritional value and resilience to climate change.
The book intertwines recipes with stories that reveal the cultural significance and history behind these ingredients, aiming to inspire not only locals but also tourists and global readers to embrace the diversity of Rwanda’s food traditions. FAO’s Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Assistant Director-General for Africa, emphasized that the book should inspire the adoption of Africa’s local foods as part of a sustainable food system.
Coumba Sow, FAO Representative in Rwanda, noted that chefs are crucial agents of change, shaping public opinion and influencing healthier eating habits. She expressed the importance of sharing the book widely within Rwanda, particularly with young people, to reconnect them with their food heritage, while also introducing tourists to authentic Rwandan cuisine.
The launch is part of FAO’s larger goal to promote climate-resilient crops and support sustainable food production. It aligns with FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-2031, which focuses on better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.
Ultimately, Uruhimbi: Rwanda Gastronomy and Culinary Art is a call to chefs, food enthusiasts, and global citizens to explore the vast culinary potential of Rwanda and the African continent. Its authors hope the book will elevate Africa’s underutilized ingredients on the global stage while addressing critical challenges such as climate change and food security.
