Zambian Home cook
Monica’s story
Monica Mulenga is the driving force behind Monica’s Larder. Combining her Zambian heritage and upbringing with Western fine dining, developed by attending Leith’s School of Food and Wine after moving to the UK in 2019, she is ready to give Hey! Food is Ready customers a unique take on Central-South African cuisine.
Monica is skilled in preparing anything from hearty and flavourful meals to more delicate canapés all featuring produce inspired by home and family. Conscious of sustainable usage she is keen to incorporate the full produce in unusual ways. Even if ingredients like Baobab and Munkoyo can’t be sourced so easily in the UK, Monica is undeterred and remains devoted to her roots and Zambian flavour palate. She is frequently in contact with home as she runs a mobile children’s library there, showing her welcoming demeanour is present in her actions as well as her cooking.
Her traditional specialities include Munkoyo, a traditional fermented drink and Chikanda, an earthy mixture of pounded wild orchid bulb and groundnuts that is eaten as a wholesome snack, side, pudding or meat alternative. Her dishes are not limited to these however and her diverse skills and expertise means that she’s perfect for catering anything from small to large, casual to formal dinners and other gatherings if you’re looking for food with wow factor in both presentation and taste. To see her delicious creations be sure to check out her menu on our website.
