Mirabel Umenei, a mother of three and the founder of Motherland Cooking Xperience, has launched interactive, virtual cooking lessons for children ages 3 to 15-years old that highlight Africa’s culinary diversity. The online classes combine cooking lessons with singing, Kiswahili lessons, and live music.
The summer camp began on June 7th and ends on August 21st. In these 2-hour camps, kids get to chop, blend, and cook their way to a different delicious dish from Africa each day. They will enjoy creations together at the end with plenty left for the whole family. Each day includes about an hour of cooking with parents acting as their child’s sous chef as needed, along with education about the ingredients, the people that use them, and their region of origin in Africa.
Recently featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Motherland Cooking Xperience offers a unique interactive African experience offering cooking demonstrations, private date night cooking evenings, corporate entertainment, and hands-on cultural competency training for all ages.
Mirabel is also the founder of Motherland Cultural Connections. “I wear multiple hats,” she explained. “I created this company because I love people, African culture, music, and food. Now I’ve made it possible to share my passions and joy with the world. Motherland Cooking Xperience was founded to provide a platform for immigrants with ties to Africa and showcase their talents through food, music, art, and storytelling. This is a dedicated effort to bridge the cultural gap between African immigrants and their families with their communities of residence.”
The organization mentors and empowers African immigrants financially through integration and participation in local culture with their neighbors. “At Motherland Cooking Xperience, we are passionate about showcasing the diverse and exciting activities of Africa through delicious food, cooking demonstrations, beverages, and music from Africa,” Umenei added. “I am excited to be a part of this group, and I look forward to learning, connecting, and networking. We also love hosting Bachelorette and Girls’ Night Out Parties! for foodies and adventurers — ‘We got you!’”
Her team has created a hands-on and relaxed experience sharing historic and meaningful African recipes. When clients want to host this experience at home with friends and families, the organization will arrange a unique and custom online cultural experience. Some of their most popular recipes highlights include a barbecue with our unique dry rubs, stewed greens, soups, and delicious Central and West African dishes. The experiences are created for hands-on fun and deliberately curated to share the best of African culinary culture. Cameroonian cuisine is one of the most varied in Africa due to its location on the crossroads between the north, west, and center of the continent.
Their sister programs, Motherland House Concerts offer two additional education platforms. “Elimu Experience” is an interactive, in-person or virtual experience teaching cultural competency for businesses, African social studies for schools, and African dance and drumming workshops. “Motherland House Concerts” showcases African music acts and storytelling in an intimate setting, which can be tailored for an in-person or online audience.
About
Motherland Cooking Xperience was founded with the aim of providing a platform for immigrants with ties to Africa to showcase their talent, through food, music, art, and storytelling in an effort to bridge the cultural gap between African immigrants, their families, and their communities of residence. They want to empower them financially and foster faster integration and participation in their communities. They serve as a vehicle for Afro-descendants to reconnect with the African culture, food, and tradition.