Lily James Olds

But we'd just love to hear about how you, what kind of inspired that change for you.

Can you share a little bit more?

I mean, you talked about this before, but just what were some of those techniques and tools that you learned during your time, during those two years traveling around the continent?

And how do they inform your practice and your cooking today?

Yeah, I mean, I was lucky enough to get to visit Culinary Innovation Village and got to eat some of these delights.

And it really was just such an incredible experience, I would say, for every part of the senses, right, of exactly what you're describing.

You know, I guess connected to that, you've said that in many African communities, people don't just eat, they celebrate food.

And I'd love to hear a little bit more, what do some of those different celebrations look like?

And how would you describe that as different?

You know, the way that food is valued perhaps in some of those celebrations than in other kitchens or other places that you've spent time?

I love that.

I love the daily celebration with food.

That feels so good.

So for people listening who may have never tried a dish from Cameroon, Nigeria, Rwanda or beyond, where should they begin?

And also, I guess, for the aspiring home chefs, what recipes would you recommend that they seek out and try to make at home?

I just want to go back to, because I think it's a really kind of powerful example of expanding one's learning when you talk about the grandmother school.

Why is this kind of cross-generational learning so important to you?

And I want to describe for people for a second, Malanga, what it's like to come visit the Culinary Innovation Village, which is also where Meza Malanga, your amazing restaurant, is now based.

So...

From Kigali, it's a long three, four-hour driving winding road, which is gorgeous.