The incredibly talented Thawat Löndt tells us about new dishes and the importance of working with local produce
Tell us about what’s new with the culinary experience at Arusha Coffee Lodge
We have revamped the grill room menu with some refined and exciting new fine-dining dishes, as well as a seven-course tasting menu for private dining. We've also sourced the most tender beef from Tanzania, to allow us to boast the "the best steak in Arusha". Our Kahawa coffee shop pastry selection has expanded offering a more varied selection for our coffee patrons.
Where do you source most of the ingredients
We try our utmost best to source ingredients from local producers, and we are constantly meeting with suppliers to move to a more sustainable relationship between ACL and the local community.
Do you incorporate the coffee grown at Arusha Coffee Lodge into the menu
Naturally, coffee is a big part of our dishes. We have a coffee whoopie pie at the coffee shop, a coffee flavoured macaron in our petit four selection, as well as a coffee flavoured ice-cream.
What local dishes are highlighted on the menu
We have a selection of different mishkaki, as well as kuku paka with pilau, kachumbari and chachandu, and we constantly try new variations and combinations of local fare to keep it interesting.
What is your favourite dish on the menu
In all honesty, I've never been able to answer questions like this! There's so much to choose from in the world of food that I am at a loss in choosing just one dish. I do believe that everybody should make homemade pasta at least once in their lifetime, and a good curry is one of the most wholesome meals to have on a cool evening.
Tell us a little about your background and how that has influenced your work at Arusha Coffee Lodge
I have worked in many areas in the food industry, from high volume food production to private yachts in Europe, from fine dining to owning a catering business. Exposure to different international cuisines has given me a broader spectrum to choose from and helps me to incorporate different cooking methods and styles such as the situation demands, to produce high-quality and world class dishes.
