Amanda Namayi

It is the last day of October 2024 and goodness me, this month has flown by!

I was in Italy for technically the whole of October, returning to Nairobi yesterday, 30th October 2024. I have had quite an adventure and tales to tell from the land yonder. I was invited to participate in the World Food Forum as one of the global moderators and my experience was spectacular to say the least. There was so much to learn from the different tracks: policy, innovation, culture and education. It was humbling to be part of the intergenerational dialogue on how food systems advancement can be youth driven but supported by other stakeholders.

The theme for the #WorldFoodForum2024 was “Good Food for All, for Today and for Tomorrow” and how apt could a theme get when the forum is all about food systems transformation? Interestingly, when I was moderating the Startup Innovation Awards, I had the singular honour of introducing a special category. Take a guess.

Need a clue?

It is the theme of the World Food Forum 2024…

[drum roll]

Yes! You’re right! I introduced the “Good Food for All, for Today and for Tomorrow” category

At the heart of food systems is food itself. Zero Hunger, SDG 2, is all about food and nutrition. While in Italy, I got to indulge in a variety of cuisines from across the globe; from reindeer meat, to Ghanaian jollof to Nigerian moin moin to Italian pecce to Japanese seafood cuisine – you name it. It was culinary world tour. Who would figure that I would eat egusi, plantain, jollof rice, eba and catfish pepper soup in the heart of Rome, Italy?

Afrik Cavour was like the holy grail of Nigerian food. The food was so delish! I went there about four times with different people. It had me thinking how the Nigerians must love their cuisine. Nigerians are fun though. I think people are generally fun.

I had pizza with a Cuban – who ended up winning an award for film he did on bees. I had no idea who he was. We were sharing about where we were from and he spoke so passionately about his home country, Cuba. He encouraged me to visit there. He told me of how warm his people are. He lives in Scotland but he frequents Cuba every so often and wishes that the situation would be different economically for his people. Two days after our conversation, I was attending the Film Festival Award Ceremony and he was called up on stage to receive an award! When I saw him, I was like:

I met people from all over the globe; Canada, USA, Brazil, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia… each with their own story.

I was introduced to “rain-watching” by an amazing soul from Ghana, his name is Marfo. I think he made that term up but hey, it was raining that night so why not watch it over some dessert? He introduced me to the yummiest coffee creme something something (I didn’t get the name) that we had in the middle of the night. He also introduced me to Ginseng, a drink I enjoyed to bits. Italy was a true culinary indulgence for me.

During the course of the World Food Forum (WFF) and #CFS52, I enjoyed the simple and nutrient dense foods that the FAO cafeteria had to offer. My favourite choices were the egg-avocado-salmon on toast and the seafood poke bowl that would have salmon, octopus, prawns, veggies and some fruit.

I had a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with the brainchild behind the original #GoodFood4All campaign which I’ve been a part of, Paul Newnham, CEO of SDG 2 Advocacy Hub. We had a discussion on the Global Alliance while immersing ourselves in the Michelin star experience curated by Chef Christine.

The menu was inclusive; catering to the different palates – from duck to ravioli to sweet treats for dessert; the food took one’s taste buds on a trip from zesty to dolce and the fine selection of wine washed down the food with the perfect touch that put a bow on the whole experience. Just like the food, the conversations were wholesome as well and there was great energy in the room.

Central Italy was only a foretaste (pun intended) of the culinary indulgence I would have in Southern Italy! The home of pizza. The home of pasta. I ate things I could not pronounce well, like pecce and <insert name of Southern Italian dish>. I got to enjoy seafood from the Southern coast… so yum! It was Japanese cuisine.

Speaking of Japanese cuisine, again, how apt was it that I moderated the Culture and Gastronomy session with a Spotlight on Washoku at the WFF? God knows and those who know me, know that when it comes to good food, I am all about it!

In Pulignana, I had so much gelato that it had me wondering who would burn those calories thereafter. The ice cream scoop servings were quite hearty! I would like to believe those calories do not count though, right? La dolce vita!

My father recommended that I try out the pork in Italy and I did exactly that. My father worked a lot with Italians while he was in Malindi, a coastal town that is known for its pristine beaches and marine sea-life, and has a significant population of Italians. While in Noci, I had pork ribs and describing how it tasted will make me drool all over my keyboard. The meat was tender and well seasoned, succulent and oozing with juices. I was in culinary paradise!

I will need sequels upon sequels to narrate my month in Italy because my experience was so rich and diverse! I will leave you with a quote from Virginia Woolf:

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”

Amanda Namayi