Home » Alternative tourism » Kenya Serves Up A Gastronomic Spectacle At Italian Cuisine Week In Nairobi National Park
Published on
December 1, 2025
Dawn’s gentle light coming through the plains of Nairobi National Park was the backdrop of a wildlife know-how and gourmet feast, an event that contributed to an ever-growing acclaim of Kenya as a global food destination, guests gathered for a whole experience. The visitors said that it was very symbolically as well as intimately the meeting of flavours, cultures and sceneries.
Kenya Rides Global Wave of Culinary-Led Travel
Kenya is sharpening its focus on culinary tourism, tapping into an international trend that has reshaped how travellers choose destinations. With more than half of global leisure travellers now identifying as food-motivated, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) increasingly highlights gastronomy as a core pillar of the Magical Kenya experience. The Board’s official website already positions the country as a melting pot of cultures and flavours, a message reinforced dramatically during the 10th annual Week of Italian Cuisine in the World.
Hosted inside Nairobi National Park, the signature event showcased live demonstrations by renowned Italian chef and digital creator Lulu Gargari, whose Mediterranean-style recipes and sustainability ethos reach millions worldwide. Embassy officials were said to have emphasised that cuisine carries stories, history, and cultural identity, acting as a bridge between peoples.
An Event Strengthening Cultural and Gastronomic Diplomacy
According to Italy’s Deputy Ambassador to Kenya, Lorenza Gambacorta, the collaboration between the two nations illustrates how culinary exchange feeds into tourism, trade, and cultural dialogue. She noted, as attendees recounted, that every plate presented during the cookout reflected a broader value chain and a community of producers, chefs, and artisans working behind the scenes.
Gargari, the resident chef of Italy’s influential food media brand GialloZafferano, led a performance-style cookout that blended Italian tradition with locally sourced Kenyan ingredients. Observers said the content captured on site is expected to reach more than 70 million viewers, expanding Kenya’s culinary message across global digital platforms.
Culinary Tourism: A Market Kenya Intends to Own
Kenya’s ambitions align with a booming market that surpassed USD 1 trillion globally. The country sees an opportunity to position its multicultural food landscape alongside its wildlife, beaches, and adventure offerings.
KTB Marketing Director Lorna Nyaga expressed, through comments paraphrased by participants, that Kenya’s gastronomic diversity strengthens its tourism appeal and mirrors the country’s identity as a crossroads of cultures. From traditional Swahili kitchens to Afro-fusion experimenters, street food vendors, indigenous cooks, and luxury restaurants, Kenya’s food scene continues to evolve in ways that attract culinary explorers.
Educational Institutions and Chefs Step Forward
Kenyan culinary talent also took centre stage. Chef Norah Bosibori of Utalii College shared insights on Kenya’s readiness to host travellers with diverse palates, noting that the country’s hospitality ecosystem can comfortably cater to tastes from Europe, Asia, and beyond. Her statement followed a series of demonstrations and tastings that celebrated the depth of Kenyan and Italian culinary craft.
The event was jointly organised by the Embassy of Italy in Kenya, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Italian Trade Agency, the Kenya Tourism Board, Kenya Wildlife Service, and Utalii College, reflecting the growing prioritisation of food-driven travel experiences.
Kenya’s Culinary Treasures Spotlighted
During the Nairobi National Park cookout and related Italian Cuisine Week activities, guests had the opportunity to explore signature dishes and flavours that form Kenya’s culinary backbone. These include:
Biriani ya Pwani – Coastal biryani infused with Swahili spicesPilau – Aromatic rice dish beloved across KenyaSukuma Wiki – A staple green served nationwideNyama Choma – Charcoal-roasted meat, a Kenyan social ritualSamosas Kenyan-style – A popular snack influenced by Indian and Swahili culturesUgali na Kuku Choma – Grilled chicken with Kenya’s national stapleMatoke – Stewed plantain, common in western regionsChapati – Soft, flaky flatbread now ingrained in Kenyan cuisineCoconut-rich Swahili seafood dishes, including prawn curry and fish in tamarind
These dishes not only captivated international guests but also underscored Kenya’s culinary identity — one shaped by trade routes, migration, indigenous roots, and cross-continental influences.
A Global Message From the Heart of Nairobi
For Kenya, the Italian Cuisine Week experience was more than a showcase; it was a strategic statement of intent. As the nation continues to amplify its culinary narrative, events like this position Nairobi and coastal cities as emerging gastronomic hubs for international travellers in search of authenticity, creativity, and cultural immersion.
The sun sinking shyly behind the vast green fields of Nairobi National Park, the people who were there together expressed the opinion that the day was like a warm invitation, a prompt to try, unlock, and come back. The gastronomic tourism route of Kenya at that time was not only very promising but also very intimate.
Dining and Cooking