National Cook Out Competition

The National Cookout Competition is the brainchild of the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa and is a platform to showcase cultural diversity, celebrate diverse foods and a means to address food security issues in Africa. The cookout competitions, a key part of Zimbabwe’s gastronomy tourism development and promotion, will be rolled out to ten provinces as part of the country’s preparations to host the first-ever Africa gastronomy forum in Victoria Falls in July. According to UN Tourism, gastronomy is about much more than food. It reflects the culture, heritage, traditions and sense of community of different peoples. It is a way of promoting understanding among different cultures, and of bringing people and traditions closer together.Gastronomy tourism is also emerging as an important protector of cultural heritage, and the sector helps to create opportunities, including jobs, most notably in rural destinations. Culinary tourism is rapidly growing it adds to the attractiveness of Zimbabwe and helps to drive the economic empowerment of local communities.