The SBU Eats team welcomed Rumbidzai “Rumbi” Kangira-Mate ’25, a Master of Social Work student, to the Cooking from Home program. She joined Sous Chef Juan Garcia in preparing a cherished Zimbabwean recipe to share with guests at East Side Dining. Sadza Nemuriwo Unenyama is a hearty blend of beef stew, cornmeal and collard greens. It offers an authentic taste of Zimbabwean cuisine, inviting diners to savor authentic flavors and feel a deeper cultural connection.
The Cooking from Home program brings beloved recipes from students’ homelands to the SBU Eats kitchen, where they collaborate with chefs to prepare these unique dishes at campus dining locations. By sharing these meals, students experience familiar flavors and share the ingredients and stories of their cultures with their peers, creating a vibrant, multicultural dining experience.
Garcia met with Kangira-Mate to review the dish’s ingredients, preparation steps and cultural significance. To ensure authenticity, they cooked together before the recipe’s debut, allowing Garcia to fully understand and incorporate the unique elements of Kangira-Mate’s recipe. During their collaboration, Kangira-Mate emphasized the importance of preparing the cornmeal, demonstrating a distinctive whipping technique with a wooden spoon to achieve the perfect “fluff” in the mixture. Garcia welcomed the opportunity to learn these specialized culinary techniques while gaining a deeper appreciation for Zimbabwean culture.
Sadza, a cornmeal staple across Zimbabwe, is typically prepared by mixing white cornmeal with water until it reaches a thick, smooth consistency, creating a versatile base that can be enjoyed with various toppings. Kangira’s version, served with a savory beef stew and greens, reflects her mother’s addition of soup for extra comfort and flavor. To keep the meal authentic, Kangira encouraged fellow Seawolves to add their own touches, like chili or curry powder, making it a customizable dish that brings joy, gathering around a shared meal.
Kangira-Mate, originally from Zimbabwe and raised with two sisters, lived in Namibia before arriving in the U.S. in August 2023. She shares the reasons behind her decision to prepare Sadza Nemuriwo Unenyama. “This dish reminds me of home because it’s a meal that families share two or three times a week,” she said. “Food brings people together—it’s about sharing and creating bonds within a close-knit community. When someone visits your home, offering food is a way of showing you care and a gesture of unity.”
Kangira-Mate’s involvement in the Cooking from Home program embodies SBU Eats’ mission to celebrate cultural diversity and foster a sense of community.
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