Located in the southern hemisphere of Africa, Zambia, with its over 70 tribes and 70 languages, is a welcoming country that sits on a plateau and is known for many things, including Victoria Falls, one of the world’s largest waterfalls, their selection of museums and national parks.
Now, thanks to the talent and expertise of Clara Kapelembe Bwali, a major food influencer and the owner of Black Garlic, a food influencing firm, the world is able to learn more about Zambian food.
Born and raised in Kitwe, the country’s second most populous city. Initially, this influencer had no interest in cooking at all. It was not until she grew tired of her mother’s pleas that she decided to give it a try and fell in love after seeing cooking as a unique art form.
Bwali shares, “Growing up me and my mom would bump heads all the time. She tried to teach me how to cook, but honestly, I was not into it. I was never interested, and then there came a time when I decided to try and do what she wanted me to do. Then I noticed that I started to enjoy how to cook.”
Since her father is from the Kaonde tribe and her mother is Lunda, Bwali’s cooking style mimics more of her mother’s culture and can be described as Zambian soul food. “I believe most of the time, a person is more inclined towards their mother’s culture. I mean your mother teaches you how to cook, and you spend most of the time with your mom. So, in terms of cooking, I’m more aware of my mother’s side of doing things than I would ever be on my father’s side.”
From Computer Science to Influencer
In 2011, Bwali headed to South Africa to attend Monash South Africa University. While earning her degree in computer and information science, she met a fellow Zambian and got married. This is when opportunity came knocking.
Bwali explains, “It all started when I got married in 2016. So being a new wife, I was obviously trying to impress, trying some new recipes here and there. And whenever I would cook new stuff, the feedback was amazing. My husband would love it, and friends would come over and say, ‘This is really, really good.’ Some would say, ‘You should actually start selling your food.’ Others would say, ‘You should share your recipes online. Start a website. Start a blog.’ Eventually, nine months down the line, I decided to open a Facebook page where I shared my recipes here and there and I also started to sell some of the food.”
Therefore, since they settled in South Africa near the university area after graduating, it only made sense to capitalize on all the busy college students from Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and elsewhere who could use meal preparation and food services.
This is exactly how Bwali got started. She began to sell weekly meals to students. “So come Monday I would prepare meals for Monday through Friday and deliver every Monday.”
Entrepreneurship was going well for a few years. However, like with most businesses, unexpected challenges occurred, causing Bwali and her family to move back home to Zambia. This meant starting all over with no clients. But it also meant giving Bawli a chance to think differently, to think more creatively and to think bigger.
Words by Mira Cassidy.
Continue reading over at Cuisine Noir.
Cuisine Noir Magazine is the country’s first Black food publication, launched in 2009 and dedicated to connecting the African diaspora through food, drink and travel. To read the rest of this article and more, visit www.cuisinenoirmag.com.
