The VA TourismPodcast

Kenya's Najib Balala identifies 3 key Pillars for a sustained tourism sector recovery

Episode 67 of the VA Tourism Podcast is an exclusive with Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of Tourism & Wildlife Hon, Najib Balala. He discusses how Kenya's tourism sector managed the effects of the coronavirus Pandemic and identifies 3 pillars as essential for a sustained tourism sector recovery.
Hon. Najib Balala, EGH, assumed the position of the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife in the 2015 government reshuffle. He moved from the Ministry of Mining where he was appointed as Kenya’s first Minister in May 2013 and is credited with delivering the Draft Mining Bill in 2014, the first policy and institutional framework review of Kenya’s mining sector since 1940. Having also served as Minister for Tourism from April 2008 to March 2012, Hon. Balala holds the record of being the longest-serving Minister in the docket.
During that tenure, Hon. Balala delivered the Tourism Bill and gave the sector a policy and legal framework geared towards maintaining sustainability. Hon. Balala has been elected Chairman of the United Nations World Tourism Organization twice, in 2011 and 2019, where he currently holds the position of Chairperson of UNWTO Executive Council.
 

Putting People First before Profits in the midst of covid-19 kept us Afloat- Tim Cordon

In a very insightful conversation with the Senior Vice President, Middle East & Africa at the  Radisson Hotel Group Tim Cordon, the Hospitality Executive recounted how Radisson stayed in business with its “People First before profits” in the midst of the global pandemic. He outlined 3 core elements which proved to be essential in navigating the crises.
Based in Dubai, Tim is responsible for leading hotel operations and delivering business growth and profit across the group’s largest area, with over 100 hotels in operation and over 80 hotel projects in the development pipeline. As a young and dynamic hotelier, Tim brings a level of knowledge, skills, and experience, which are critical to Radisson Hotel Group’s expansion plans and strategic operations across the Middle East and Africa.
A British national, Tim has been with Radisson Hotel Group (formerly Carlson Rezidor) since 2003 and was recently appointed Area Senior Vice President for the Middle East & Africa in 2017.  
He began his progressive career in the UK where his first General Manager's position was at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Manchester Airport which, at the time was Rezidor's largest hotel in the UK and where he successfully positioned the hotel in Rezidor's top 20 performing hotels worldwide.  He went onto hold leadership positions in two of the group’s key properties in London, Radisson Blu Portman Hotel and Radisson Blu Hotel Stansted Airport.
He briefly left the group to become General Manager of the Cumberland Hotel in London, before returning as the General Manager of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek. In 2015, he was promoted to Regional Director Middle East & Turkey.
Tim holds a degree from Nottingham Trent University in Mechanical Engineering and Design and Technology, including qualified teacher status. In 2006, Cordon entered the British Hospitality Hall of Fame, with the Alpha Forum Prize – “Young manager” award. For two consecutive years, Tim has secured a spot in the top 5 of Hotelier Middle East’s Power 50 list
Connect with Tim Cordon
 

Série de conversations sur le Tour de la Gastronomie Africaine : La cheffe Marie Thérèse ATEDZOE OWONA parle de son parcours culinaire et de la Spécialité Camerounaise.

Avec plus de 30 ans d'expérience locale et internationale sur la scène culinaire, Marie Thérèse est la directrice de la Chaîne des propriétaires de restaurants pour la promotion du patrimoine culinaire camerounais (CRESPAC), membre du Conseil national du tourisme (CNT), ainsi que la coordinatrice de la Fédération camerounaise des arts culinaires et la promotrice du célèbre restaurant Bois Sainte Anastasie à Yaoundé, au Cameroun. Elle est l'exemple parfait que rien n'est impossible si on a la passion. La gastronomie camerounaise reflète la diversité de ses groupes ethniques, riche en quantité et en qualité.

Tour of African Gastronomy Talk Series: Spotlight on Ghana's Chef Isaac Sackey

Today’s episode is a special program dubbed ‘’ Tour of African Gastronomy Talk Series’’ where featured chefs of UNWTO’s Tour of African Gastronomy Journal speak to us on their culinary journeys.
President of Chefs Association of Ghana, Chef Isaac k Sackey is my Guest. Chef Isaac. K. Sackey through his culinary profession has traveled across the world to acquire expertise on current culinary trends, as a judge for cooking competitions and organize food workshops. 
He started his career at Novotel Hotel (Accra) as a commis chef, moved to become chef de partie` and sous chef level, and now an executive chef with BSC in hospitality management.  
Download the Tour of African Gastronomy Book

Tour of African Gastronomy Talk Series: Chef Semira Ajayi sheds light on Nigeria's Food Culture

Today’s episode is a special program dubbed ‘’ Tour of African Gastronomy Talk Series’’ where featured chefs of UNWTO’s Tour of African Gastronomy Journal speak to us on their culinary journeys.
Chef SEMIRA AJAYI from Nigeria is my Guest. After being inspired by the cooking skills of her parents, Semira pursued further education in culinary in Dubai and she shares her unique story and Nigeria’s gastronomy offerings in this conversation.
Download the Tour of African Gastronomy Book

Tour of African Gastronomy Talk Series: Discovering Rwanda's Culinary Arts with Chef Nicole Ansoni

Today’s episode is a special program dubbed ‘’ Tour of African Gastronomy Talk Series’’ where featured chefs of UNWTO’s Tour of African Gastronomy Journal speak to us on their culinary journeys.
My Guest today is Chef Nicole Ansoni, Executive Chef and owner of Inka Steakhouse – the only steak house in Rwanda. She takes us on a tour of Rwanda’s diverse and unique gastronomy offerings.
With over 15 years experience in the culinary world, travelling to over 35 countries and living in 14, she amassed specific skills and techniques along the way all the while discovering new spices and flavour profiles. Executive Chef & Owner of INKA STEAKHOUSE (the only Steakhouse in Rwanda) and board member of the Rwanda Hospitality Association, this young Rwandan Chef and entrepreneur continues to share her love of food and grow the Rwandan culinary ecosystem through the promotion and advocacy of sustainable cooking and local agriculture. 
Download the Tour of African Gastronomy Book

Protecting Tourists in Time of Emergency:A Conversation with UNWTO's Legal Counsel Alicia Gomez

In today's episode, the Legal Counsel of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Alicia Gomez unpacks the international code for the protection of tourists being developed by the UN Tourism Organization and its international partners. 
Ms. Alicia Gomez has 15 years of experience in the UN, a decade at UNWTO, and has been the Organization's Legal Counsel since 2017.  In this capacity, she supported the process for the development and adoption of UNWTO´s Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics and currently leading the process for the development of an International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT), which will be presented to the 24th UNWTO General Assembly for approval.
 

Tour des discussions sur la Gastronomie Africaine : Une conversation avec la Cheffe Georgiana Viou

La cheffe Georgiana Viou, lors d'un entretien avec Franck Olivier Kra, a fait la lumière sur le secteur culinaire du Bénin. Elle était l'invitée du Tour de la Gastronomie Africaine de l'Organisation Mondiale du Tourisme (OMT) 
Autodidacte, la cheffe Georgiana Viou vit une enfance multiethnique au Bénin, puis elle étudie à Paris. Elle fait ensuite un passage dans la communication et revient à ses premières amours, l'art culinaire.
Tout  commence avec le prix culinaire " Le Taittinger des Cordons Bleus " en 2009. Puis le désir de créer une école avec trois jeunes enfants.  Cela  devient un scénario compliqué.
Elle atterrit par hasard sur la première édition de Masterchef, puis sous l'influence de Lionel Lévy (1 étoile Michelin) elle fait ses premiers pas dans la cuisine professionnelle.  Elle fait ensuite un passage à Paris au restaurant de Sarah et Sylvain Sendra (aussi étoile Michelin), puis à Hissa Takeushi.
Avec le soutien d'Yves Camdeborde, elle en profite pour entreprendre des ateliers de cuisine qui deviendront plus tard "L'atelier de Georgiana". En plus des cours, elle propose une formule unique de déjeuner sur le modèle d'une Table d'Hôtes. Ce fut un grand succès, avec un menu du jour impressionnant. 
Georgiana anime une série diffusée sur une chaîne de voyage "Chez Georgiana".L'atelier Georgiana d'octobre 2011 à décembre 2014."Chez Georgiana"  est lancé le 2 février 2015 - le premier "vrai restaurant".
Après avoir remporté un succès aussi estimé, elle reçoit 2 Toques au Gault et Millau, et en six mois la note de 13/20, et le prix des "Jeunes Talents". C'est là qu'elle rencontre Anthony Bourdain et le chef Eric Rippert pour l'émission de télévision Parts Unknown. 
Le concept de restaurant de Georgiana remet les fourneaux sur le devant de la scène, dans un cadre nouveau et original ; elle mélange la richesse culinaire, les voyages et la littérature du Bénin tout en réinterprétant la cuisine locale dans le respect de l'éthique des producteurs et de leur respect des pratiques et des produits locaux. Ouverture fin de la crise du coronavirus.
Entre 2019 et 2020, elle parcourt le monde entier pour différents événements et festivals sur la cuisine. En 2020, la chef Georgiana s'apprête à publier un nouveau livre sur la gastronomie béninoise intitulé Le Gout de Cotonou (Ducasse Éditions - mai 2021)