Diplomats Ditch Briefings for Braziers: Inside Zimbabwe's Culinary Challenge

Foreign diplomats in Zimbabwe swapped their usual diplomatic duties for aprons and recipes in a unique cooking contest. The #ambassadorscookoff challenged participants to make a local chicken dish, immersing them in Zimbabwean culture. Dutch Ambassador Margret Verwijk emerged victorious, as diplomats connected with locals through food and humor.

In the midst of global trade tensions, diplomats in Zimbabwe found a moment of levity through a cooking contest. Participating in the second annual #ambassadorscookoff, ambassadors exchanged their policy briefs for recipe cards in an effort to create the most appetizing local dish, a chicken and rice stew enriched with peanut butter sauce.

As pictures of their culinary creations flooded social media, the public cast votes to determine the winner. Despite the taste expectations tied to his home country, France's ambassador Paul-Bertrand Barets didn't claim victory. Instead, Dutch Ambassador Margret Verwijk took home the top prize, with Canada's and Pakistan's representatives also earning accolades.

The initiative, organized by the online foodie community TeamFulo, saw diplomats visiting local markets to personally source ingredients and embrace Zimbabwean cooking traditions. Their endeavors not only offered a glimpse into Zimbabwean culture but also showcased a shared humanity through food, drawing favorable attention from the Zimbabwean public and strengthening cross-cultural ties.

(With inputs from agencies.)