CULINARY THEME: NGUNI FOODWAYS
The LUJU Culinary Program celebrates the spirit of African gastronomy, a space where heritage, creativity, and collaboration meet. It elevates Eswatini’s culinary industry by promoting excellence, capacity building, and indigenous food advocacy. Through curated demos, workshops, and chef–farmer collaborations, the program showcases regional flavours and artisanal craftsmanship, creating vibrant opportunities for culinary entrepreneurs to grow their brands.
The themed Luju Culinary programme lies at the heart of the festival line up. Held in The Buzz amphitheatre space, it consists of demonstrations, masterclasses and workshops conducted by celebrated chefs and indigenous knowledge keepers, who share innovative techniques and recipes that highlight heritage, lifestyle and sustainable practices.
The LUJU Culinary Programme celebrates the spirit of African gastronomy, a space where heritage, creativity, and collaboration meet. It elevates Eswatini’s culinary industry by promoting excellence, capacity building, and indigenous food advocacy. Through curated demos, workshops, and chef–farmer collaborations, the program showcases regional flavours and artisanal craftsmanship, creating vibrant opportunities for culinary entrepreneurs to grow their brands.
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The themed Luju Culinary programme lies at the heart of the festival line up. Held in The Buzz amphitheatre space, it consists of demonstrations, masterclasses and workshops conducted by celebrated chefs and indigenous knowledge keepers, who share innovative techniques and recipes that highlight heritage, lifestyle and sustainable practices.
LUJU FOOD INDABA
The Food Indaba is LUJU’s intellectual and cultural heart which takes place before the Luju Festival weekend. It is an intimate storytelling arena where elders, chefs, and custodians of tradition explore the philosophies and ancestral wisdom behind African cuisine. Through shared stories, live discussions, and tastings of traditional brews and foods, it highlights how knowledge and identity are passed down through the act of cooking and eating. For sponsors, it offers profound brand alignment with heritage preservation, sustainability, and authentic cultural dialogue, a chance to support the storytelling power of food as legacy. Applications to attend the Luju Food Indaba are now open.
LUJU FOOD INDABA
The Food Indaba is LUJU’s intellectual and cultural heart which takes place before the Luju Festival weekend. It is an intimate storytelling arena where elders, chefs, and custodians of tradition explore the philosophies and ancestral wisdom behind African cuisine. Through shared stories, live discussions, and tastings of traditional brews and foods, it highlights how knowledge and identity are passed down through the act of cooking and eating.
For sponsors, it offers profound brand alignment with heritage preservation, sustainability, and authentic cultural dialogue, a chance to support the storytelling power of food as legacy. Applications to attend the Luju Food Indaba are now open.
Sous Chef Development Programme 2026
The Sous Chef Development Programme offers four emerging chefs the opportunity to join the official Luju Culinary Production Team, gaining hands-on experience alongside renowned regional chefs while supporting the festival's dynamic culinary programme.
COMPETITION
PICK N PAY Luju Cook-Off
Congratulations to Justina Bain and King Terry for making it to the finals of the Pick N Pay Luju Cook-Off! We look forward to seeing them go head-to-head live at 11am Saturday 1st October in the House On Fire Amphitheatre at the festival. Finalists were selected through a combination of an instore pre-cookoff activation and public voting process on social media.
At the Festival, celebrity food enthusiast Somizi Mhlongo will lead an Afro-Fusion cooking showcase using 100% PnP Luju Pantry ingredients. Drawing inspiration from the celebrity showcase, the finalists will be challenged to recreate the gourmet dish, adding their own African flair, in a bid to win the title of PnP Luju Cook-Off Master Chef. Over E20,000 worth of prizes to be won!
FOOD Programme
FOOD INDABA
