Please Introduce yourselves to our readers
Our names are Joyce Zengeni and my partner is Tafadzwa Kapuya we are Zimbabweans living in the heart of Nairobi Kenya. We love making African traditional food, especially from Zimbabwe.
What business are you into?
We are in the food industry and we have a restaurant. We are showing and making the Zimbabwe dishes for Zimbabweans living in Kenya and the locals
Where are you located?
At Soko Safi Mall next to the Greenhouse in Ngong Road.
Please tell us how did you meet and how did the idea of Pamuzinda come?
My partner in crime and I (Joyce and Tafadzwa) went to school together Mhondoro Ngezi back in Zimbabwe. We have been friends from 1-4 and we sat next to each other in class. We were not bright students but surprisingly we loved our food class (Food and Nutrition) after school we did a diploma in Culinary arts and food and beverages. We re-connected when Joyce moved to Kenya. With our love for food, we saw an opportunity to open a restaurant in Kenya and bring brand ambassadors with our Zimbabwe cuisine to the Zimbabweans living in Kenya and the locals. Hence Pamuzinda was birthed.
Joyce, please tell us why the name Pamuzinda?
Pamuzinda represents pamusha, Pamusha Mukuru. This is a place where we carter for all the Zimbabwe tribes and dishes in one place #Pamuzinda #Musha mukuru
Tafadzwa being in a foreign land what was your greatest challenge in establishing Pamuzinda?
Networking with suppliers and finding them was hard. We needed specific ingredients for our menu and we had a communication barrier to some of the people for example introducing some dishes such as Madora (Caterpillar) they would run away.
Joyce Please tell us what was the motivating factor in establishing the business?
Being brand ambassadors of Zim food and coming from the Southern Part of Africa we knew we had to bring the natural and authentic taste of food, not the GMO. We do not spice our food.
What are your values as a business?
- We value how our foods should be saved.
- We value People’s health
- We value Zimbabwean food
Do you just do Zimbabwean dishes only or?
When we started we would do Zimbabwean food. We also have our side part where we have Kenya dishes too but mainly we have Zimbabwean specials.
Do you accept specific orders of Zimbabwean Dishes outside of your menu?
At the moment we have much of our Zimbabwe foods covered, we have not had customers ask for a meal outside from the menu but if it does happen we just prepare the order.
Joyce, what inspires you to keep running the business?
My motivation is my passion, my motivation is the drive that works me up to serve good and healthy food, my motivation still stands knowing am raising the bar high as the ambassador of my country that’s my pride.
Tell us about the Ste Diamond Women organization?
It is an NGO founded by a Zimbabwean lady living in the US Melody Gwenanguruve, it is centered on young women who are stagnant and have grown up and did not have an opportunity to live their dreams or passion.
Is the Ste Diamond Women organization only just for women in Nairobi only or?
It is global, we are looking at every girl child. We believe that every woman is a diamond and should shine in their way.
Tafadzwa what is your word of advice to the others out there who want to start a business out there?
Follow your heart, believe in yourself, have faith and God will always make a way where there is a will.
Joyce, what is your word of advice to the other ladies out there who are studying culinary arts?
Believe in yourself and take it with the full tenacity so that your skills can be seen and have more chefs following the path.
With the world pandemic Covid 19 upon us, how has it affected or improved your business?
With God’s help we have managed to have customers, we have sit inns and we do deliveries. We thank God we never had a meltdown.
Please can you give us your social media pages?
Facebook: Pamuzinda Kenya chefJoy, Instagram: chef Joy
