Tapiwa Guzha
Meet Tapiwa Guzha. Tapiwa is the founder and head chef at TAPITAPI desserts, an organisation dedicated to the celebration of African food and curating the nutritional, medicinal, functional and ritual significance of food and produce on the continent.er/bush doctor and activist Carlo Randall, a descendant of the First Peoples.
Q & A with Tapiwa
Question: Who is Tapiwa?
Answer: I may be a formally trained scientist but I believe in the pursuit of a complete life and that means prioritising all facets of my creativity.
Question: What’s your goal/vision for this conference, in other words: why is it important?
Answer: My goal is to develop a community of POC in the industry, particularly in Cape Town. It would be amazing to meet peers, heroes and future collaborators. Some familiarity in an alienating industry will be good for the soul.
Question: Why ice cream?
Answer: I’ve always had a sweet tooth and grew up in my grandma’s house where we would bake all manner of treats. Baking transitioned into desserts and I finally settled on ice cream. Apart from TAPITAPI, the ice cream space in the WC is heavily Eurocentric, which is a pity considering the richness of the continent.
Question: Fill in the following: Transformation in this industry (name your specific field or cause) will happen when…
Answer: Transformation in this industry will only happen when POC are majority owners, consumers and participants in the food industry and “indigenous” spaces are held by POC and valued at their true worth.
Question: What would you love people to know about you and your work?
Answer: We are always looking to collaborate with people from the continent to create food experiences that truly showcase and celebrate the richness of Africa.
– Ice cream newbie? Try your hand at popsicles because you don’t need specialist equipment or to cook the base. Simply blend fresh fruit, sugar, salt and lemon juice for balance, Stick in an ice cube block and freeze overnight.
