Femme Staff
Some exciting news for all the foodies and food bloggers out there, the Lamu Festival will be holding its second annual Lamu Food Festival from 15th to 17th April, 2016 at Lamu Island. Here’s your chance to enjoy and taste diversity in what is dubbed as the “island of festivals”. The community as well as local and international tourists will be treated to a rich culinary experience combined with a display of various cultural activities, which also includes a food investors’ forum.
Lamu Island is the second biggest island within Lamu County, one of its main attractions leading to this designation is its well-maintained traditional cuisine. Once upon a time, Lamu was once the most important trade center in East Africa, which saw Asian and Arab spices and ingredients influence the popular traditional Swahili Cuisine. The cuisine uses fresh foods from the island including coconut and tamarind steeped in aromatic spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and black pepper.
This is the perfect event for those who enjoy a little flavor in their foods. Those who attend will get a chance to have a taste of traditional Swahili cuisine such as bhajia, samosa, pilau and chapatti from the best restaurants in the region and enjoy live cultural music. You will also get to learn exciting cooking tips from the seminars scheduled, just in case you want to take any new cooking skills home with you. Groups of women from around the Lamu County compete to give the best in their unique cuisines. Last year part of the festival even included a donkey pageant, with the only one in Kenya to have Mr. and Mrs. Donkey. Sounds like a ton of fun doesn’t it? That’s not all; there will also be talks given by noted Kenyan chef Ali Mandhry, as well as Food Tours of Lamu Town.
While the Swahili cuisine is what promotes the Lamu name, this festival will also expose and celebrate all cuisines around and explore all aspects of the food industry in Lamu from farming, fishing, into processing and the hotel and restaurants industry. Traditional cooks and street food vendors from across the County will be set up along the Lamu Seafront for your entertainment and enjoyment.
