Editorial Feature
The Kumba Deck
A seven-page deck about Kumba and the supper chapters — every image labelled with the dish, moment and date it shows, plus how to find and join Kumba. Download the PDF to send alongside the Google Drive link.
Editorial Feature Deck · October 2026
KUMBA
Expanding, one plate at a time.
About Kumba
Kumba is an evolving archive of food, memory and gathering, rooted in Zimbabwean heritage and the wider diaspora.
At the heart of Kumba are intimate Sunday suppers, held approximately every eight weeks, that explore and reimagine what it means to be part of the Zimbabwean diaspora. Each gathering tells a different story, exploring themes of childhood, migration, music, identity and what it means to call somewhere home.
Through food, we revisit familiar Zimbabwean traditions, from braais, gango and sadza ne muboora to reimagining the humble boerie roll or turning a childhood favourite like cream soda into a granita.
Although Zimbabwe is the starting point, Kumba speaks to the wider diaspora. Our stories, experiences and relationships with home are often similar, and I believe it's important that we continue to create spaces where we can come together, share those stories and preserve our culture.
For me, Kumba is about recognising that home isn't always a physical place. It's something we carry with us, something we return to and something we can continue to create wherever we go.
The Suppers — Stories Told Around the Table
The Kumba suppers are the heart of what I do. Each one is a different chapter of home, exploring our Zimbabwean heritage, childhood memories, migration, music and the relationships we build around the table.
Zimbabwe is always the starting point, but the conversations and food extend into the wider African diaspora. I enjoy taking familiar dishes and traditions and exploring what happens to them as we move, grow and experience other cultures.
What connects the suppers
Although each supper has its own theme, they all return to the same question: what does home mean, particularly when you're part of the diaspora? I don't think returning home always means physically going back to Zimbabwe. Sometimes it's hearing a familiar song, sharing sadza with someone, remembering a childhood flavour or sitting around a table with people whose stories feel similar to yours. That's what I want Kumba to continue creating. A place where we can revisit home, celebrate where we're from and carry those experiences with us wherever we go.
Founder · Monalisa Chinembiri
Eleven years into my fitness journey and five years into cheffing, I've come to realise so much of my wellbeing started at home — God, my roots, where I come from, my body, and the friends and family around me.
I've always loved street food and home-cooked meals. But in trying to keep up with my fitness regime, I initially struggled with my relationship with food. Over time, I realised eating well didn't mean letting go of the flavours and traditional meals I grew up enjoying. Nutrition isn't simply about eating clean — it's about understanding how food makes you feel, your relationship with it, and the role it plays in your everyday life.
My culinary journey has led me to study Gastronomy and Nutrition at Le Cordon Bleu, followed by an MSc in Nutrition, Health and Wellbeing at the University of West London. For me, food, nutrition, culture and community aren't separate conversations — Kumba allows me to bring those parts of my life together.
What's Next for Kumba
Grace — End-of-Year Supper · 2026. Our final supper of the year, Grace, will be an opportunity to reflect on the year, the relationships we've built and the importance of gratitude. As with every Kumba gathering, food will remain at the centre, bringing people together to share stories, reflect and celebrate.
Kumba Meals on Wheels · January–March 2027. A 12-week consumer research pilot in London — ten culturally inspired, nutritionally informed meals and two versions of the guava chilli preserve, tested with 120 participants, informing a commercial launch in April 2027.
The chapters
Chapter One — Ng'khaya: Home · 29 March 2026
Chapter Two — Kumusha: Home · 31 May 2026
Chapter Three — Kutamba: Dance · 16 August 2026
Chapter Four — Mukoro: Harvested & Fuelled · 4 October 2026
Chapter Five — Grace · 5 December 2026
KUMBA TABLE · ZIMBABWEAN HERITAGE, WIDER DIASPORA
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Chapter One · 29 March 2026
Ng'khaya: Home
Supper
Stories Told Around the Table
Our first supper was an introduction to Kumba and what home means to me. I wanted to bring together my Zimbabwean roots, my culinary journey and what I've learnt through nutrition.
The menu explored familiar flavours in different ways, from quinoa-crusted brioche with boerewors paste to braaied poussin with sweet potato chips and butter bean aioli. We finished with rum and vanilla polenta cake and guava chilli sorbet.
It was really about introducing guests to how I see food, where I've come from and where I hope to take Kumba.
On the menu
Quinoa-crusted brioche & boerewors paste · Braaied poussin, sweet potato chips, butter bean aioli · Charred miso cauliflower (V) · Tomato consommé (V) · Rum & vanilla polenta cake, guava chilli sorbet · Zambezi mocktail
Images · each labelled for reference
KUMBA · EXPANDING, ONE PLATE AT A TIME
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Chapter Two · 31 May 2026
Kumusha: Home
Supper
Stories Told Around the Table
Following a trip back to Zimbabwe, I wanted this supper to feel more nostalgic, revisiting some of the foods and memories I grew up with.
Gango was at the centre of the evening, served with sadza, beef, boerewors, greens and chakalaka. We also had braai wings with the guava chilli preserve, cream soda and lemon granita, and braised goat with fried rice inspired by my Aunt Powiee.
It was an opportunity to bring childhood memories back to the table, while sharing some of the food traditions that have stayed with us.
On the menu
Braai wings, guava chilli preserve · Cream soda & lemon granita · Gango — sadza, chaka beef, boerewors, greens, chakalaka · Braised goat, Aunt Powiee’s fried rice · Vanilla baobab ice cream · Mango & hibiscus cocktails
Images · each labelled for reference
KUMBA · EXPANDING, ONE PLATE AT A TIME
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Chapter Three · 16 August 2026
Kutamba: Dance
Supper
Stories Told Around the Table
Music was the centrepiece of this supper. I wanted to explore how music travels with us, from Oliver Mtukudzi and Hugh Masekela to jazz, kwaito and amapiano.
Music, much like food, carries our stories, our customs and how we express ourselves. Even as we migrate, culture doesn't remain frozen in time. We take it with us and it continues to evolve.
The menu reflected that. We reimagined the boerie roll with a charcoal bun, boerewors kofta, whipped amasi labneh and guava chilli aioli. We also served braaied skate wing, apricot-glazed wings with chakalaka pearl couscous, and malva pudding with rooibos caramel.
This supper was particularly about celebrating how our food and music can continue to grow wherever we find ourselves.
On the menu
Reimagined boerie roll — charcoal bun, boerewors kofta, whipped amasi labneh · Braaied skate wing · Naartjie sorbet · Apricot-glazed wings, chakalaka pearl couscous · Malva pudding, rooibos caramel · Kumba spritz
Images · each labelled for reference
KUMBA · EXPANDING, ONE PLATE AT A TIME
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Chapter Four · 4 October 2026
Mukoro: Harvested & Fuelled
Supper
Stories Told Around the Table
Our most recent supper explored harvest, not just through seasonal food but through the relationships we tend to.
Autumn felt like the right time to reflect on what we've planted, what we've nurtured and what continues to fuel us. Completing my Master's also made this chapter particularly meaningful. It reminded me that wellbeing extends beyond what we eat — it's also about making time to gather, share a meal, laugh, rest and be present with one another.
The menu brought back our boerewors brioche, alongside guava chilli-glazed chicken niblets, granadilla and mint granita, slow-braised beef short ribs with butternut rice cakes, and salted caramel malva cake.
For me, this supper was a reminder that the relationships we nurture can become the harvest that sustains us.
On the menu
Chingwa neMoto — quinoa-crusted brioche & boerewors · Guava chilli-glazed chicken niblets, charred corn · Granadilla & mint granita · Slow-braised beef short rib, butternut rice cake, cavolo nero · Salted caramel malva cake, berry-ripple ice cream
Images · each labelled for reference
KUMBA · EXPANDING, ONE PLATE AT A TIME
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Chapter Five · 5 December 2026
Grace
Upcoming
Stories Told Around the Table
Our final supper of the year, Grace, will be an opportunity to reflect on the year, the relationships we've built and the importance of gratitude.
As with every Kumba gathering, food will remain at the centre, bringing people together to share stories, reflect and celebrate.
Images · each labelled for reference
KUMBA · EXPANDING, ONE PLATE AT A TIME
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Where to find Kumba
Making its way around London,
one table at a time
Where you'll find Kumba
Right now, Kumba is making its way around London, hosting suppers at familiar places such as the Africa Centre in Southwark, the Boathouse in Paddington and Bread and Butter in Hackney Central. The next location is yet to be confirmed — and that's part of the charm. Each chapter finds a new table, and wherever it lands, the welcome stays the same.
How to be part of Kumba
Join the guest list
The guest list is the first door into every Kumba supper. Sign up at kumbatable.com and you'll hear about new dates, menus and tickets before anyone else.
Find me on Instagram
@kumba.table — the food, the stories and life around the table.
@monalisa.chinembiri — the founder's journey behind Kumba.
Expanding, one plate at a time.
KUMBA · EXPANDING, ONE PLATE AT A TIME
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