KAPA187: How did you come up with the name of your restaurant ?
Lillian: My mother is Soli and in Soli when we say Ku Twaala it means to bring, and at Twaala restaurant we bring people the best service and goods and they take from us pleasure.
KAPA187: What type of cuisine do you specialize in?
Lillian: Personally and professionally, I am more specilized in European cuisine, but at the restaurant it is an Afro- European fusion where we get the best from Zambia, like the famous Chikanda Sandwich, Kariba Sunset salad, The bige Five, combination of all the top five desserts in our Zambian cuisine
KAPA187: What challenges did you face when starting up the restaurant?
Lillian:I was given three weeks to start up the restaurant, so in that itself was the biggest challenge. secondly, getting the right staff both in the kitchen and service. The carpenters for the chairs and tables, and mostly food suppliers, it has been a set back to know that some of the major companies cant supply certain items and it can be discouraging.
KAPA187: What motivated you keeps going and realise your dream dispite your challenges.
Lillian: What motivates me is knowing that this is a purpose bigger than what I had imagined. The will to succeed, to make my mother proud, and all the tears, pain, hurt, work I have worked so hard for and also contributing the better of the hospitality business in Zambia in terms of having something that is Zambian and proudly Zambian and not entirely imported from elsewhere
KAPA187: You have been a chef in many countries all over the world , what experience do you bring to your resturant.
Lillian: I bring the experience and diversity to a lot of our guests. I mentioned the restaurant is Afro-Euro fusion and in terms of food standards, service, staff treatment, I bring another different perspective and dimension to the gastronomy industry
KAPA187: How was the response on your opening day and did you learn from it.
Lillian: I make sure before I sleep, I have learned something important and the opening day, everything that could go wrong did but I learned to keep calm and think outside the box. I am the manager, if I start stressing and freaking out, my staff will lose their focus and will, but the response was good. People love the Chikanda sandwich and the ambiance.
KAPA187: Do you feel the economic climate in Zambia is favorable to local investors such as yourself?
Lillian: Africa is the continent to be at the moment, and as for me looking at it from the economic aspect, yes it is but also in my industry, few Zambians eat out and for me is getting that habit of eating out and experiencing the restaurant industry which in return will be beneficial to everyone.
KAPA187: Do you plan on expanding your resturant to other parts of Zambia.
Lillian: Other parts of Zambia, not yet planning but definitely, there are plans of opening another Twaala around Lusaka.
KAPA187: Tell us where twaala resturant is located.
Lillian: Twaala restaurant is located at Foxdale court shopping mall in Roma, Zambezi road, most people know it as Spar you can book your reservations as we are having our festive promotions starting from the 22nd Dec to the 28th December at 0979127039
KAPA187: What words of encouragement do you have to other women who are planning on setting up their own businesses?
Lillian:Words on encouragement will be to stay focused, believe in yourself and don’t get afraid when your friends, family or people leave you during your process, keep faith and always remember to learn something new. Be humble, and grateful, with that I wish you all the very best.
KAPA187: Any last words….
Lillian: I would like to thank everyone who read the last article and those who have been supportive and I encourage you all to come through to the restaurant to taste the notorious Chikanda sandwich, savannah fiesta and many other Afro inspired dishes. I am honoured to ran a restaurant that we can put proudly Zambian on. I wish you all warm welcome to Twaala restaurant, Ni Ntazi ( Power)
May God bless,
Bayete
View a previous interview with Lillian here : http://www.lusakatimes.com/2012/01/25/interview-professional-chef-lillian-elidah-dakamumba/?preview=true&preview_id=44319&preview_nonce=33c2b86e51
BY KAPA187
Well done Lillian Elidah. You are an inspiration.
This will be the first place i will try to check out when i get back to ZED. Inspiring indeed
You are great lady Lilian,very hard working young lady.. Am so proud to be at least around you in one or the other. MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU, ndiwe chikali.
you are really an inspiration. wish you succes in your bussines dear.
Thats whats up. and as promised, we shall come through to support
Where is the restaurant located?
Lillian knows how to handle her knives, never cross her!
THIS IS GREAT. KEEP IT UP, DAKA-MUMBA
Excellent Q&A…wish you the best!! There you have it fellow entrepreneurs there is clearly a vacuum for door to door organised professional wholesale delivery in the Capital for the food and beverage sector.
Something for a change. Not always Politicking hee..!! This is development.
GREAT, YOU SEE THIS IS IT. CHIKANDA SANDWICH. INNOVATION IS THE NAME. AND SHE HAS GIVEN BUSINESS TO CHIKANDA WOMEN WHERE SHE PURCHASES IT FROM. Ms DAKA-MUMBA, ANOTHER IDEA FOR SWEETIE. NICELY, CUT THE TOP OF GREEN PAPER (its not always green in color but green, red, or yellow) STAFF IT WITH IFISASHI FROM UBOWA TO ANY VEGETABLES SUCH AS KACHESHA, CHIBWABWA, CHINKAMBA, ETC AND DECORATE THE INSIDE TOP WITH SMALL PIECES OF BEEF, CHICKEN AND GRAPES, APPLES ETC AND REPLACE THE TOP THAT YOU SLICED OFF. REMOVE ALL THE UN WANTED SEEDS AND THE WHITISH STUFF WITH A SPECIAL SPOON BEFORE STUFFING THE GREEN PAPERS WITH THE GOODIES. CHILL THE THEM AND SERVE WITH RICE, POTATOES, ETC. PLEASE, GIVE THEM BEMBA NAMES OR ANY OTHER. I HAVE DONE THAT BEFORE AT A PARTY AND I HAVE GOT THEIR NAMES WHICH I WONT…
…from #11. GIVE TO YOU BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO BE CREATIVE ALSO. GIVING YOU THE RECIPE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH. WHEN I COME TO ZAMBIA I WILL VISIT YOUR RESTAURANT AND WE WILL COME AND COMPROMISE ON UNIVERSAL NAMES OF THESE VARIETIES. GOOD LUCKY IN YOUR CAREER. WE NEED MORE INNOVATORS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY TO LESSEN TOO MUCH DEPENDENCE ON AKA BWALI OR KA FIVE FINGERS. I AM GONNA CHECK IF YOU HAVE A WEBSITE TO TALK TO YOU DIRECTLY SOONER THAN LATER.
@Peter – iwe this lady is a professional sous-chef de cuisine who has worked in a michelin starred restaurant where creativity and presentation is standard in these fine dining restaurants. She is not your average dinner cookie like your misus at home.
I have been reading about this lady and I have developed into liking her. Hope your food is as good as your image comes about. I will eat it soon when I pass through Foxdale area. Change the restaurant location. It’s in a corner of the city.
I have to meet Lilian.
Great vibes. I like her already…we’ll see her food will taste even better. Tizakadya tika fika ku zed. Watch this space>>>>>emphasis on ‘tizakadya’.
#6 iwe ka Nubian princess kodi subelenga chizungu? She just told you were the restaurant is located. Foxdale area. It’s in Roma.
Now thats a story to spend time on. Great work Lillian. We shall cross over to have a dinner and bring some more clients.
I just remembered that I follow this chef on Facebook…… I had a lukewarm feeling towards her when the article of her first appeared on LT but when I saw her impressive work and passion for fine fresh authentic Zambian cuisine on social media. I instantly warmed up to her and her infectious personality.
Well done! Lillian, God created Man to sow like an eagle and not to scratched like a chiken
What are you saying to the chickens? They are good people!!!
Cool! finally some sweet music to my ear from LT. Congratulations Elidah atleast one step ahead in development not lyonse fighting and the blame game, Bla Bla Blah for a change something worth reading!
ZAMBIA WILL BE DEVELOPED BY ZAMBIANS. The concept of the American dream states The American dream concept states that—America is the land of opportunity, AND THAT ANYONE CAN ACHIEVE SUCCESS THROUGH HARD WORK. Thats the American dream. What is the Zambian dream? People wait for the government to do everything and when they don’t see any development they condemn, they insult but all that talking takes people nowhere. While government has a bigger role to play for the development of a country; the truth is that African governments are usually a let down. Well done Lillian and keep it up. REMEMBER PEOPLE THAT POLITICIANS WILL LET YOU DOWN ESPECIALLY HERE IN AFRICA. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO THEY ARE.