By Matṧeliso Phulane
Mathemaloli Food Festival which is organised by Osmium Marketing Agency, is set to host a culinary experience on December 23 after its break. The event will take place at the Butcher near Selakhapane in Berea district.
In an interview with the business operations manager of the agency, Motebang Senaoana said the aim of the event is to celebrate food through tasting different kinds of recipes serve some drinks.
This will give the local chefs a platform to indroduce their delicious menus and recipes in order to be recognised countrywide.
“The event started in 2018 with the aim to celebrate food culinary and hospitality industry of Lesotho; that is through calling chefs and cooks to display their recipes and cook for the attendees.
“By doing so, we as the agency are giving them an attention and expose them to other market potential investors and those who wish to collaborate with them,” he addced.
Senaoana said when the event started they were basically considering everybody on small businesses cooking industries. Those include people who can cook, bake and do whatever is related to food.
He further explained that due to Covid-19 pandemic which disrupted a lot of things, the event only occurred in 2018 and 2019. However, they have decided to bring it back this year since Covid-19 restrictions have been significantly eased.
Senaoana said they are ready to bring the event lively again since they have ensured that they partner with the best chefs in country namely such as Donabalos and his team, Mopeli Seitlheko, Leseli Mothae, chef TBJ as well as the Butcher.
“Everybody who can cook or eager to learn how to cook is also welcome at the event. For attendees, they will go there to buy and be experienced to different kinds of food and cuisine.
For the chefs, theirs is to collaborate, partner and build networks,” Senaoana said.
The manager said people will be exposed to various kind of tasting because they require each and every chef to bring their menus and recipes different from the others.
Speaking of the challenges, Senaoana expressed that organising the event requires a lot of resources, which includes mobile kitchen for the chefs and any other things needed for cooking and display their talent fully.
“For the event to be a success there has to be enough resources. As a result, my team has noticed such a huge gap of resources to the chefs and cooks.
“However, we are still working towards ensuring that we give them our best where we can,” he promised.
He also indicated that in the upcoming festivals they would like to see Mathemaloli Food Festival to have grown to the extent that there will be a cooking competition among the chefs.
They would also want to have a kids section where they can have good and fun experience as well.
“What we are trying to grow into is for us to be the biggest Lesotho food festival, giving people the platform to the food industry.
“We would like to see may be home appliance traders partnering with the chefs for sponsoring them with cookery ware for use.
“Also we would be glad to see partners funding for the food industry to grow in order to give everyone who is willing to explore that opportunity.,” he suggested.
He urged people to attend the festival in order for them to experience the whole new understanding of food and food industry in Lesotho.
“The chefs this time around should grow their business and recover from loss they encountered at the height of Covid-19.
This will also enable those participating to expand their brands through selling their food and enhance their standards in cooking.
Tickets will be available by the end of November, either through online platforms or buy them from all the partner’s segments like the Butcher or Donabalos. They will sell in the region of M400 and the fee includes food and drinks.
For more information, Senaoana can be contacted on +266-27310096
