The festival is to create A festivity that brings Africans together to push and break bearers of limitations by unifying everyone through hospitality, tourism, entertainment and open opportunities of fighting poverty together by means of creating a free Africa to Africa trade, skills transfer and celebrate our heritage
Born out of the passion and love for Founder and President of African Chefs United, Chef Citrum Khumalo and his team initiated people within the hospitality and tourism industry, HAAPI festival in its fourth year. ACU’s mission is to unite Africa, create and improve on culinary, hospitality and arts skills. This festival is also a great platform to address issues of xenophobia, as the festival brings people from across the African continent, diaspora and the world at large.
HAAPI 2017 seeks to engage participants in discussions that centres on food security, social cohesion, entrepreneurship, networking and the spirit of Ubuntu across the continent. This year’s edition will create festivity for participants through activities such as culinary competitions, culinary workshops, hospitality related activities such as table setting, show casing local and African beverages, showcasing local and African ingredients, arts entertainment and promoting Africa as a brand.
To welcome participants across the continent to 2017 HAAPI program, Chef Khumalo reiterated the program aims at bringing the world to Africa and taking Africa to the world and most importantly it is an event that set the trends and standards within the hospitality industry following in the footsteps of many events that are held in Europe, America and Asia which have helped set the standards of food and service at a very high levels.It is also a great networking opportunity, ideas are shared, new ones will be developed,food and service standards will keep improving.
The result will be improved standards in hospitality and tourism industry in Africa which will in return bench mark us with the rest of the world.When you hear people talk, they mention that Africa is 120 years behind Europe, Asia and America in terms of food& drinks trends, food service, table service and beverage trends. You also often hear statements like this is Africa or may be African time, service doesn’t exist.
People are proud and not embarrassed to say those words,for us as Africans with the love of our continent it hurts us and it has led to us taking this initiative of creating an event that we believe shall bring about change.This festival is meant to bridge the gap of service and quality between Africa and the rest of the world and close it fast.
The festival which was successfully held in Ghana in 2016 is back in Johannesburg, The calendar of events begins with career guidance on the 30th of August to scholars.
Activities will include Students skills challenge which will showcase the industry essential skills, this competition brings the best out of the students whilst they honetheir skills at the same time helping them to improve and share their knowledge with other students.
This challenge is a tense, fast, furious and entertaining activity, which will in turn inspire students that, will be watching. South African culinary schools will partake in the first competition; the winning team will go heads on with schools from Africa that will be present.
The biggest highlight of this festival is the Nelson Mandela African Culinary Challenge endorsed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, this competition will happen on the 31st of August. This is the challenge that sees the crème de la crème of each countries’ Chefs going head on in preparation of their authentic countries’ cuisine presented in a modern, exciting, gourmet way.
The 2nd of September will be the big day with live performance by African artists, food stalls from different countries as well as food cooked by indigenous women and African Women in Culinary from different countries will be tasted and sold, this is a day where everything happens in an open space. Fires will be light, smokes created in search of Africa’s best BBQ (nyamachoma/shisanyama) champion which is open to individuals and teams from around the world.
This competition has attracted cooks, chefs and general members of public who are passionate like colleagues from Australia who will show us how to marinade, macerate, slowly and properly cook kangaroo meat. This indeed is a festivity never to be missed by anyone as the beautiful smell of African aromas from melting pots should attract people from far as well as Surroundings. Food music is not complete without the amazing beverages ranging from craft beer, mampuru and all the African craft beverages that will be on sale.
HAAPI Festival is run under the hospices of African Chefs United (ACU)which is an African non- profitable organisation. The event itself is initiated and managed by Technopro Trading Enterprise.
Since 2013 this event in South Africa has been proudly sponsored and supported by the City of Johannesburg and supported by a number of companies who proudly appear in our website.For the first time HAAPI to be out of South Africa was hosted in Ghana, as usual no disappointment in terms of hospitality in Accra.
The landing of Chefs in Ghana saw a memorandum of endorsement by ACU with Food for all Africa to create efficiency within Africa’s food supply chain and sustainable means of nutrition for the vulnerable in Africa. HAAPI 2017 will be indeed electrifying with competitive hospitality activities and a long list of performance by African artists. A melting pot of African cuisine will be enjoyed by all present.
Countries expected to participate include Cameroon, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Congo, Namibia, Nigeria, Togo, Lesotho, Algeria, Morocco, Botswana, Mauritius, Gabon and Australia
