Niël Terblanché
Nedbank Namibia’s Kapana Cook-Off has established itself as the foundation of hope and opportunity by empowering participants to transform their culinary skills into viable business ventures.
The culinary excitement continued as the third preliminary round of the 2024 Nedbank Kapana Cook-Off took place last weekend in Windhoek, with three contestants earning their spots in the grand finale.
Hasheni Mandume, Maria Mumbala, and Sxelse Tsamases emerged victorious from a pool of 60 contestants on Saturday, 20 July.
They will join six other finalists to compete for the grand prize of a fully furnished mobile kitchen worth N$130,000 at the Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair on 24 August.
The competition, which aims to celebrate Namibia’s rich culinary heritage and promote entrepreneurship, also featured a professional chef competition last Friday.
Heinz Bank, a seasoned participant who had competed in the chef’s competition for four years, finally claimed victory, walking away with a cash prize of N$10 000.
Erika Karonda secured second place with a prize of N$7 000, while Hirodina Sangunji took third place with N$5 000.
“After a month’s preparation and three years of losing, I am finally the champion. This is quite exciting for me because I learned to not give up on what I want and if I work hard, I will succeed,” Bank said.
He encouraged other Namibian professional chefs to participate and persevere in the competition.
Gernot de Klerk, Nedbank’s Head of Marketing and Communications, thanked all participants, partners, and spectators for their involvement.
“The competition was indeed stiff, but the judges made the necessary call to select today’s winners. Congratulations to everyone who made it, and for those who didn’t, we’ll be back in Windhoek next year,” de Klerk said.
De Klerk indicated that the final preliminary round is set for 3 August in Oranjemund.
Entries for this round are still open, and forms can be downloaded from Nedbank Namibia’s website or collected at any Nedbank branch.
This year marks a decade of the Nedbank Kapana Cook-Off Competition, dedicated to developing business opportunities within Namibia’s small and medium enterprise (SME) sector.
Since its inception, the competition has invested more than N$8 million to support culinary talent and entrepreneurship in the country.
The competition has been a launchpad for many successful businesses.
Previous winners like Ester Silas and Kristy Shomongula have turned their victories into thriving enterprises, demonstrating the competition’s impact on promoting sustainable business growth.
Silas, for instance, launched her kapana kitchen trailer business shortly after winning in 2023, serving her community in the Greenwell Matongo suburb of Windhoek.
De Klerk said that as the competition progresses, the anticipation builds towards the grand finale in Ongwediva.
This year’s final event promises not only to showcase Namibia’s culinary prowess but also to highlight the resilience and innovation of its entrepreneurs,” he said.
