08 Dec 2023

Delegates from all over the world attending the 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) were on Wednesday night treated to Chobe cuisine.

Many were enticed by the feast dubbed ‘The Taste of Chobe’ as they indulged in the famous Chobe bream in all its preparation methods from grilled, fried, boiled and steamed.  

The presentation of the roasted pork laying on the tray was appealing to the eye and scrumptious on the mouth.

As expected, many visitors asked for more Seswaa on their plate and credit goes to President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi for declaring that Botswana produced the best beef during the official opening ceremony of the 18.com on Monday.

Plates were full with Setswana cuisine from phaleche, morogo wa dinawa and potato wedges, among others.

In an interview, Switzerland ICH expert, Julien Vuillemier said Botswana food was unique and delicious adding that he liked the fish more especially that he had an opportunity to go on a boat cruise on the Chobe River, the habitat of fish.

He stated that he enjoyed the oxtail that was served at the welcome reception on Sunday adding that it had a distinctive taste from the rest he had tasted before.

Vuillemier said Botswana was endowed with diverse culture, from song and dance, creative arts but mostly the warmth and hospitality of Batswana.

Motswana chef, Mildred Mtileni expressed her joy for having had the opportunity to prepare food for the visitors.

She said the brief outlined that they should give people ‘the taste of Chobe’ hence she ensured fish took centre stage.

“As people of Chobe, we eat a lot of fish and it has become our core dish for generations because we are surrounded by the infinite Chobe River; moreover it is very nutritional.”

She highlighted that traditional food was very healthy in that one did not add condiments and garnish in them as they were served in their authentic value.

She said with Non-Communicable Diseases ravaging the world, health experts had advised that people should revert to eating traditional and organic food.

Mtileni said her method of cooking fish was done in a three-legged pot lid slowly on the fire hob to preserve the juices and nutrition.

She indicated that preparing fish was her forte in that she did not only offer it for the 18.com guests hence she invited Chobe residents and tourists to visit her restaurant in Zhanga Phee Garden where the ‘Taste for Chobe’ event was held for more fish.

Botswana Tourism Organisation product development officer for Chobe District, Keotshephile Mphusu said the ‘Taste for Chobe’ was part of Botswana’s strategy to diversify the tourism product to incorporate gastronomy tourism in all events held across the country.

He said the event intended to showcase the Chobe bream and its many ways of preparing it and also promoted other Botswana cuisines.

Mphusu said Botswana beef was the best in the world having placed the country on the map as many tourists demanded to taste it whenever they visited.

He stated that the BTO had recently taken local chefs to Spain to showcase Botswana cuisine as a way to promote local cuisine to the rest of the world. ENDS