Today we're chatting with the talented Freda Muyambo, She's known for her Pan African Palate, shaped by her culinary adventures across continents. Freda is not only a loving mother of 4 but also a passionate cook with a world of interests.
AFN Tell us about yourself!
Freda I am a published author, African food scholar, writer & speaker focusing on elevating African culture through food. I lend my expertise on politics & activism panels, most recently at the Oxford Food Symposium & Pinterest. I have been featured on Channel Africa radio, Bon Appetit Magazine, BBC, CNN, The Spruce Eats & many others. I am also a mum of 4 and have lived in various countries across the continent. With this background, I often present myself as having a Pan African Palate.
AFN Why do you cook?
Freda Cooking is a creative activity that frees me to wonder with my thoughts. A bonus is that I get to eat delicious food in the process. I genuinely enjoy cooking and eating. Most days, when I cook, it is entirely for my satisfaction, first and foremost.
AFN What is your favorite memory in the kitchen?
Freda When I tried to bake my first cake from my head without a recipe, I was about 10 years old and had no knowledge about leavening agents. So, I ended up with a beautifully decorated brick for flour and sugar. But perhaps that’s a great thing and how we learn. I did pretty much a similar thing when I tried to cook samosas with no knowledge of how they were done and no recipe. As it turns out, I grew up believing I could neither back nor make pastries, but the opposite is true. The year I moved to Lagos, I started baking cakes and pastries, which landed me my first business supplying restaurants with the most decadent pastries and desserts. The secret is in having recipes.
AFN What is your biggest cooking fail?
Freda I once had a cooking mishap that I can't help but chuckle about now. I was attempting to impress my in-laws, and in my enthusiasm, I cooked a dish with raw cabbage. Needless to say, it didn't turn out as planned.
My in-laws couldn't even take a bite, and I was left utterly embarrassed. But looking back, it's a funny story that reminds me of the importance of learning from my mistakes and not being afraid to experiment in the kitchen. We all have our moments, and that one definitely taught me a valuable lesson
AFN What kitchen equipment do you use more and can’t do without?
Freda I must always have a good spatula.
AFN What are your favorite foods to cook and why?
Freda Okra stew for the love of the taste, Berry galette for the artistry in such a rustic dish. Slow cooker stew like oxtail or lamb shank ragout. I just must have been a slow cooker stew in my former life, and it is the only way I believe I can cook any stewing cut of meat without fear of failure.
AFN What would you like to share with our audience?
Freda We truly live in the land of milk and honey in Africa. We are not poor and hopeless. I hope we believe that, not the lies, we are sold thanks to antiquated and unequal economic systems or media bias. Our continent is rich, and we need to start to do things to serve our interests first before serving the interests of the West. It’s like putting on an oxygen mask. Anyone can make a difference today, whether by sharing cultural knowledge to empower people or small scale… or large-scale farming of indigenous foods. The future is ours for the taking.
AFN How can your fans reach you on social media?
E-book: https://www.myburntorange.com/ebooks/ Instagram/X: @myburntorange TikTok: @myburntorange Facebook: @myburntorange Pinterest: myburntorange YouTube: @Myburntorange
raising 4 kids while maintaining a Pan-African kitchen across different countries is no joke. I remember reading Freda's pieces years ago when I first moved to Dubai and was struggling to source proper cassava flour or green bananas in Deira. Seeing how she weaves Southern and East African flavours together always reminds me that our culinary culture isn't locked behind borders. Sawa, good to see her getting her flowers.
Mother of four and still finding time to document pan-African dishes across continents? Abeg no be small thing o. I first came across Freda through her write-ups on southern african braai marinades and how closely the chili profiles link to our suya spice blends here in Kaduna. May Allah continue to bless her hands, she really knows how to show the connections in our food without losing the soul of each region.
Freda's work on pan-African food pathways has always been spot on chale. People forget how much overlap there is between Southern African mealie pap and West African banku or tuwo, just different corn preparations and fermentation levels. Even here in Leeds I have to improvise at Kirkgate market when I want proper white maize meal instead of the yellow one. She really understands that diaspora struggle paa.