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The African Gourmet

The African Gourmet: Explore African Culture & Recipes

One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.
Welcome to the real Africa—told through food, memory, and truth.

FOOD PROVERBS

African Food Proverbs

Culinary wisdom passed down through generations

African food sayings and proverb

Best Ten African Food Sayings & Proverbs

Culinary Wisdom
Meat stew representing animal wisdom

Honoring Animal: African Wisdom of Thankfulness

Gratitude
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Bring Something to the Table

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Lemon varieties representing spice of life

6 African Proverbs That Will Spice Up Your Cooking

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About the Author

A Legacy Resource, Recognized Worldwide

For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories is currently selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage.

Trusted by: Wikipedia • Emory University African Studies • University of Kansas • University of KwaZulu-Natal • MDPI Scholarly Journals.
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How Much is a McDonald's Big Mac in Africa

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In 1995 McDonald's opened its first restaurant in South Africa
In 1995 McDonald's opened its first restaurant in South Africa

All About McDonald's In Africa

Did you know? 

McDonald's Big Mac in South Africa cost 30 rands or $2.17 US dollars.

McDonald's has restaurants in 6 African countries.

McDonald’s restaurants are located across Africa in the South, North, East and West.

McDonald's in Africa, but of course! 

The African fast food economy is a money-fueled fast paced food business. 

Dates McDonald’s first opened in Africa 

McDonald’s restaurants are located across Africa. In South Africa first opened on November 11, 1995, Morocco McDonald’s first opened on December 18, 1992, Egypt McDonald’s first opened on October 20, 1994, Mauritius McDonald’s first opened on July 4, 2001, Tunisia first McDonald’s opened on January 3, 2018 and Kenya first McDonald’s is set to open August 2018. 

McDonald’s restaurants in South Africa 

South Africa is a middle-income African country with abundant natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; and a stock exchange that is Africa’s largest and among the top 20 in the world. 

In the middle-income country of South Africa, a cheeseburger happy meal costs 33 rand or $2.71 US dollars, McCafe 22.50 rand or $2.10 US dollars and a jalapeno chicken sandwich will cost you 41 rand or $3.37 US dollars. 

McDonald's menu items such as salads, hotcakes, chicken, burgers, oatmeal, English muffins, fries and McCafe and tea taste just the same in South Africa as they do in New York. Besides a few local favorites such as the McDonald's South Africa Boerie Burger and a side of fresh corn, the menu would be recognizable to any traveler. 

McDonald's success is consistency, yes McDonald's is the same the world over, even in Africa. The favorite menu item, McDonald's South African Boerie Burger, is a beef boerewors flavored meat patty, smothered in ketchup, mustard, and grilled onions. Boerewors is a type of sausage originating in South Africa and is an important part of South African food history.

McDonald's South African Boerie Burger cost 22 rand or $1.81 US dollars
McDonald's South African Boerie Burger cost 22 rands or $1.81 US dollars

All McDonald’s restaurants are certified Halaal by the Muslim Judicial Council. South Africa’s religious population is Protestant 36.6%, other Christian 36%, Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 1.5%, Other 2.3%, Unspecified 1.4%, and None 15.1%. 

Today there are over 200 restaurants in all nine provinces across South Africa; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape. The South African rand is the currency of South Africa. 

McDonald’s restaurants are a natural fit in South Africa since the beef, poultry, and dairy industry are agricultural financial powerhouses. The beef industry is a major employer in South Africa, stock farming is one of the only viable agricultural activity in a large part of the country where 27% of the population is unemployed. 

According to McDonald's South Africa website, McDonald's employs over 10,000 people across 1,600 miles or 2,500 kilometers of South Africa.

More economical easy lunch and dinner recipes to make right now so you never have to eat or prepare a boring meal again.

  1. Curried Tanzanian Coconut Okra Recipe
  2. Yedoro Stir Fried Ethiopian Chicken Dinner
  3. Senegalese Chicken Vermicelli
  4. Caldo Verde Portuguese Kale Soup
  5. Air Fryer Black Eyed Pea Dumpling Stew

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African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

Working Hands of Africa

The labor and love that feeds a continent

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African Culture & Traditions

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How Fufu Explains Politics

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Slow Food Disappearance

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The Universal Plantain

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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.