Food, Glorious Food!
Welcome back!
I hope it’s been a good weekend so far despite the rain?
Last weekend, my son Kofi and I went to the 3rd Annual Accra Food Festival (the 2016 Edition) inside the grand setting of the Accra Polo Heights and what a grand affair it was!
What is the Accra Food Festival About? The Accra Food Festival has been celebrated in Accra for the last two years and this was its third edition in the capital. The aim of the festival is to yearly celebrate the food diversity in the capital, with major exhibitors from Ghana as well as from different countries and backgrounds all meeting here in Accra to celebrate the diversity of food! The large expanse of the Accra Polo ground was a great setting for food lovers from all walks of life to converge and feast their eyes on the latest food presentations. Food enthusiasts were able to sample the latest trends in African foods as well as international foods. It was also a great opportunity for people to see and taste the various exhibits from the major hotels and eateries which most people do not get to see under normal circumstances.
It was a perfect occasion for food and drink lovers to see and taste first hand some of the latest innovations and trends in the Ghanaian culinary circles. Of course, a party of food and drink is incomplete without music and the festival did not disappoint in this either as there was a live band playing to sustain the enjoyment of the festival.
Who Exhibited? The who is who of culinary Ghana were all there - from famous eateries and hotels to individuals trying to make their own mark on the food industry! It was truly an international affair. The event was as much a celebration of top chefs and their culinary talents as it was for food enthusiasts searching for or presenting their best dishes or food at the Polo Heights grounds.
Exhibitors Included:
The Royal Senchi Hotel (food and beverage)
The African Regent Hotel
The Gold Coast Hotel – Restaurant and Cocktail Bar
The Peduase Valley Resort
Pizza Hut
Burger & Relish – An American Diner specialising in Burgers and Cocktails
The Noble House -Chinese Restaurant
Zaina Lodge in Northern Ghana, a Safari Lodge, near Mole National Park were represented too
The Urbanbox - a home delivery service for local fresh food
Yes Natural Organic Vegetables
What Were my Expectations? My aim has always been to see a huge uptake in African foods all over the world as our foods have a lot to offer nutritionally and aesthetically. And was I disappointed? Not one bit!
Highlight for Us? We loved the strong presentations in all the stalls we visited and we were simply blown away by the innovative displays of the top hotels and eateries and how much Ghana is now ready to do business with the foods that we have. But by far my favourite stand was that of the Peduase Valley Resort – a newly built 38 Bed hospitality Resort in the Aburi mountains, just outside the capital. The Chef’s imaginative representations of our yams, plantains and even the creative bamboo and gourds as food containers blew me away! It was showy, sophisticated, practical and stunning. No holding back, just perfect! I had a lot of fun there and loved the taste of their displayed fusion foods! Go here to learn more about Peduase Valley Resort on Facebook and make a booking today! Tell them you saw it on the africaonyourplate website. Visit Africa On Your Plate (AOYP) on Facebook here. Don't forget to tell your family and friends about us!
My Verdict? Personally, I think this
festival will go from strength to strength and the huge numbers of participants from all over the world send a positive message that Africa has good food of international standards. Even some small and medium scale food entrepreneurs were offering healthy,
fresh and wholesome foods and superfoods such as Moringa (a superfood green powder that helps in the fight against diabetes and cancer) at the festival.
My Conclusions? This food festival was very successful. It was a catwalk affair of showcasing, stall after stall, the cutting edge and the very best food and drink in Ghana at the moment. The participation of the big wig hotels like the African Regent, the Gold Coast and the Royal Senchi, and of course the inclusion of the small and medium private enterprises are undisputable signals that food wise, Ghana has arrived and is ready for local and international business!
Latest comments
I’ve made a lot of similar recipes in my slow cooker. I wouldn’t be able to survive with out my slow cooker. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
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Thank you very much Jayme Silvestri for your comment, You are welcome to link over to this post, Good luck with your 31 Days of Creative Homemaking! Sounds exciting!
This is a great tip! I am writing 31 days of creative homemaking and I have a slow cooker tips post coming up! Will definitely link over to this post! Gotta love that slow cooker…such a miracle worker
Thanks Kelly for your lovely comment!