Cassava gets its flowers at Gastro Feastival – ‘Table of 8’ food podcast

Popular as a staple on plates but rarely in headlines for its variety of versatile applications, Farmer Abeiku Whyte of Farmer’s Market puts it: “Cassava is quite literally ‘white gold’.”

Besides its stakes in the food industry, cassava is most notably used in the animal feed sectors, as well as in textiles, paper, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and biofuels industries. Its versatility, particularly in the form of starch, allows it to be a key ingredient in products like baked goods, adhesives, biodegradable plastics and even the production of ethanol and other chemicals.

However, with many of its visible activities perceived as informal, more cottage farming and small-scale processing, cassava doesn’t make the news. Our attitude toward the crop is tepid, and as policy and investment attention historically focus on export cash crops like cocoa, cassava’s huge economic and social value has been largely hidden.

That is all about to change! As the central theme crop for the first of the Gastro Feastival Table of 8 – ‘The Food Conversations: From Farm to Feast’ weekly podcast series, yours truly curated a fetching 3-course menu set, collaborating with Chef Solomon on this culinary adventure with cassava.

“Bankyi is the new ‘foie gras’!”, came the response from my dear buddy Nana Yaa, when I shared the menu with her. We both laughed at the thought. But seriously, this mundane crop is seen largely as ‘ordinary’ food, more of a workhorse than a glamour crop. Yet, given half the attention cocoa gets, cassava could well become, literally, Ghana’s cash cow!

On the menu was a mouthwatering yuca (cassava) roti, layered with sautéed mushrooms and herby essence starter, an entrée of silky bankyi mash with grilled cassava fish washed and PJ’s famous kobi sauce in nkontonmire abomu; and to top it all off, a cassava-infused cheesecake dessert that had the diners smiling in pure delight.

Besides the moderator of the show, the delightful Enyonam Manye who ignited the evening with a lot of insightful commentary, the diners who assembled for the first episode on the ‘Table of 8’ included a Farmer, Mr. Abeiku Whyte, also owner/founder of the Farmer’s Market chain; an Agro-Processor – Charity Adupong of Meannan Foods; and Esther Kyerewaa Twumasi, Community Development Manager, Kosmos Innovation Centre.

There was also Ameyaw Debrah, the accomplished online media content provider; Mr. Kojo Aidoo, entrepreneur and owner/founder of Accra Bar Show, Frontback and 19 restaurants; Mrs. Theresa Ayoade of Charterhouse Productions, the brain behind this whole assembly; and yours truly, as host and consumption partner for the entire event.

Taking place up my rooftop space, the podcasts – which will run weekly ahead of the Gastro Feastival , the gastronomy fair set for Farmer’s Day weekend – December 5 and 6 – form part of the movement to reconnect Ghanaians with the soil, spotlight agribusiness opportunities and celebrate the authentic stories behind every meal.

The objective is to drive multi-stakeholder dialogue on Ghana’s agro-food opportunities, aiming to spotlight innovation, inclusion & sustainability across the food value chain, with the key goal of bridging farmers, investors, chefs and policy-makers for real collaboration. Discussions that can inspire conversations to compile a knowledge compendium for national dissemination.

The Gastro Feastival “Table of 8” – ‘The Food Conversations: From Farm to Feast’ will not just have people converge to eat. It will feature the Farm-to-Feast tours that’ll go to celebrate the heartbeat of Ghana’s food ecosystem, its farmers, their stories and the land that sustains us.

With an aim to deepen appreciation for the people and practices shaping Ghana’s food future, each podcast will uncover the journey of food at its source: from cultivation and harvest to creativity and cuisine by connecting audiences to where their food truly begins.

Each week, we will explore a selected farm, gather some of its fresh produce and transform it into a unique ‘Table of 8’ dining experience. The episodes will be aired on Charterhouse’s YouTube Channel and social platforms, and it will capture this transformative journey, weaving storytelling, sustainability and culture into one inspiring narrative.

It will all culminate in something deliciously epic during Farmers’ Day weekend this year, when we venture to celebrate the boldest food adventure yet!

The Gastro Feastival will assemble Ghana’s food ecosystem at The Palms Convention Centre at the La Palm Royal

Beach Hotel, converting the grand venue into a jolly fairground with sizzling Street Food Alleys to the Ghanaian Food Village with a global flavour fiesta.

“Mark the date, Dec. 5-6, 2025,” says Priscilla Badake, Project Lead for Gastro Feastival. “There will so much to do at the fair, from chillaxing at the Drinks Arena, to the live chef throwdowns, the masterclasses and big food convos shaping Ghana’s foodie future! Street food will meet culture, jollof will meet global flavours, and every bite will be a vibe!”

It will be quite the buzz around town, a place all converge and shape the future of food, so come with “your squad, the family and, most importantly, your appetite!”

If you want to participate in the Gastro Feastival, contact WhatsApp 0244 697 046 / 0579 180 983.