Our talented chef Melvin has been with the Club for a few years now, serving up a wide range of amazing international dishes inspired by his extensive travels. Through the summer, he’ll be bringing the flavours of his beloved Zanzibar to the table, with an informal street food twist. Find out more about our amazing StrEAT at the Club events here.
Melvin was just sixteen years old when he first visited this tropical Tanzanian archipelago as a conservation volunteer, exploring the pristine beaches and lush forests on the islands of Unguja and Pemba. He quickly fell in love with the laid back, friendly culture and immersed himself in local life, learning Swahili as he continued travelling on through nearby Kenya. It was the start of a lifelong infatuation, and he returns regularly with his daughter, whose mother hails from Zanzibar.
Zanzibari cuisine reflects a real melting pot of cultures, representing its extensive colonial history. Bantu cooking is mixed with Portuguese, Arabian, German, Omani and even British influences to bring a completely unique flavour. Nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, chilli, cardamom, turmeric, saffron… pretty much any spice you could name thrives here.
On Melvin’s Zanzibari StrEAT & bEATS evenings, we’ll be welcoming you into our fantastic garden (weather permitting!) to enjoy some lovely welcome drinks before tucking into Melvin’s selection of chosen dishes. We’ll be serving up fish and chicken cooked with authentic Zanzibari spices in soft (but sizeable) chapatti wraps, with plantain and homemade coconut chutney. If you’ve got room left, we recommend sampling the satisfyingly filling cassava chips, fresh and spicy kachumba salad and Melvin’s mouth-watering mango and passionfruit tart. This is a tropical island feast that’s not to be missed. We just hope the weather plays along!
Chakula ni uhai – food is life!