Hi and welcome to my blog. I am so glad you landed on this page to meet me, Freda Muyambo, author of My Burnt Orange! So let me tell you a little bit about myself.
About Freda Muyambo, Author of My Burnt Orange
My name is Freda Muyambo, author of My Burnt Orange blog. My blog is dedicated to my love of family, African food and a few moments where I describe how I balance it all as a career woman. I have 4 children, have started up and run businesses and I love cooking dishes from across Africa and beyond. You can probably tell I have a very busy life. However I ALWAYS make time to focus on what I want to achieve.
My Career Path
I am a certified project finance professional and have lived and worked in several countries across the world. I started my career path in electrical engineering at the Australian Gas and Light Company (AGL) in Melbourne. Next, I got into project management in the UK where I ended up at Transport for London. After that I took on further studies in Construction Economics and Management, plus a certification in project finance. Today I am equiped with the skills and qualifications to look at major infrastructure projects at scale.
My Motivation
Over the years I learned how my career had less to do with machines but had a higher focus on what machines could do for humanity. Infrasturcture particulary helps women and children in under-developed parts of the world.
During my time in Australia and the UK, I saw how much power and light literally liberated women. Energy frees us from being stuck at home for hours on end with the burden of housework. We now have machines that can do this for us. These are powered by electricity. We also have vast rail transport networks and brightened up roads and footpaths. These create a safer way for women and children to get from point A to B.
Therefore throughout my work life I have thought about how wonderful it would be if we could achieve the same for people in the continent of my birth. Moreover that inspired me to do the most I can with my career, education and professional development. I started out as an engineer and developed my career as a project management professional. Finally I am venturing out into the world of project finance and private equity to further Africa’s develpoment. If you want to read more about my career and check out my professional profile on LinkedIn, you can do that over here.
My mantra is taken from the KiSwahili proverb “Mwanamke ni chachu ya maendeleo.”
A woman is an important part of any development effort.
Food is My Personal Passion
I travel the world in search of culinary inspiration and find one of the best ways to immerse myself into a culture is through food. Therefore I take the opportunity to learn about local foods in my travels. We had a wonderful experience learning about Thai Culinary Arts from the head chef at a hotel in Thailand and then Portuguese cuisine at a country cooking school in The Algarve. It is my hope that in sharing my recipes, I will challenge the misconception that African food is unhealthy, and even throw in some great Afro vegetarian ideas.
Since starting this blog in 2011, I have received an overwhelming amount of accolades from publications such as the African Economist, CNN, BBC, the Guardian, contributed my knowledge to other sites and got published in some multi author books. I was the official African Cuisine expert writer at TheSpruceEats and also contribute to the vibrant internatinal food blogs 196flavors and Curious Cuisiniere.
What Is My Cultural Background?
I was born and raised in Botswana to Ghanaian parents, and now I am married to a Zimbabwean. Therefore I have what I like to call a pan African flavour with a world wide reach. I have lived and worked in the most amazing international cities out of Africa, namely Melbourne and London and am also well travelled. These international cities gave me my cosmopolitan flair.
Where Can You Find Me
Right now we are in Lagos, Nigeria with our four children. Prior to this, we lived in London where our family grew from two to five through the addition of three little kids. Before the kids came along, we met in Melbourne, Australia. As you can see my family has been on the move quite a bit as we have grown and pursued careers and a life fit for us. So who knows where the next adventure could lead us?
Support me online!
Other than that you can always find me online on my various social media platforms.
Please follow me on Instagram.
Check out my informative videos on YouTube.
Like my Facebook page.
Ask me a question on Twitter.
Connect with me on LinkedIn.
Most importantly, share my content 😃.
*My Burnt Orange is the home of the Afro Cosmopolitan Diet. I am not a dietitian. Views are my own and based on personal experiences I am happy to share if it helps. If you need access to dietitians, I know a great African Dietitian.*
26 Comments
trixfred30
January 3, 2012 at 10:40 pmSuch a great site you’ve been awarded Versatile Blogger status http://happinessstanlives.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/i-won-the-lottery/
MyBurntOrange
January 4, 2012 at 9:34 pmAw, thanks trixfred30!
Conor Bofin
January 5, 2012 at 10:25 amtrixfred30 led me here too. I was looking at your pictures and I see you have the same table mats as I have here in Ireland. The red ones. My sister in law brought them as a gift the last time the family visited us from Dar es Salaam. Small world.
Happy New Year,
Conor
MyBurntOrange
January 5, 2012 at 9:04 pmOh wow! trixfred30 is getting me famous. Thanks for stopping by. That’s just amazing about the table mats! I got mine as a gift too, they came in a Chinese steamer set, I think mine could have been made in China, not as exciting as Dar es Salaam. Happy 2012 to you too.
thecircleofit
May 20, 2012 at 9:47 pmwhat a lovely blog!!!
MyBurntOrange
May 20, 2012 at 9:49 pmThank you ever so much! I just visited yours too and it’s just adorable!
Maruza
May 21, 2012 at 2:08 pmFreedes, awesome blog!!!! Loving it, especially for us bachelor types living and working away from home, makes it so much easier to bring mamas home cooking to the table no matter where we are…I still love to call it Sadza even here in Tanzania. Drives the locals mad but they soon forget after sampling the softer southern african version of Ugali!!
MyBurntOrange
May 21, 2012 at 2:27 pmRuz!!!!!!! I bet you are eating a lot of irio na nyama! Thanks so much for the encouragement. You must let us know how its been going! I followed in your footsteps and just finished a module on speculative development, exciting stuff!
Tumie
January 27, 2013 at 6:31 pmOh darling!! Just love u!!
MyBurntOrange
January 27, 2013 at 8:28 pmThank you Tumie!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you too my friend!
niibisammy
February 1, 2013 at 3:11 amAwww Freedes, crazy about your food. My daughter was born in morocco to a ghanaian and a sao tomeenne so imagine what palates we have here. Refreshingly inspiring to my dining table.
MyBurntOrange
February 2, 2013 at 7:55 pmHi niibisammy! Thank you for visiting my blog! I am glad it is inspiring your dining table. What an amazing mix. I must learn some of your dishes too, and Morrocan. You must have a few Portuguese inspired ones. What an amazing mix, and your daughter will take a little bit of that wonderful cultural mix.
Sofia
March 11, 2013 at 4:14 pmWhat great recipes! I love this bright blog. I can’t wait to try some of your cooking recipes. Thank you for sharing!
MyBurntOrange
April 17, 2013 at 10:33 pmHi Sofia! Hadn’t realised I had not given you a personal “thank you” for your kind words. Thank you xoxoxo!!!
Kegone
June 7, 2013 at 9:04 amWow! Who would have ever known that from the time we were knee high, while I thought all we did was just a playful mimic of what our mom’s got up to into the kitchen has actually turned into such great culinary art. Fun as it was, we explored and experimented and often came up with some yummy experiments. I thank you for sharing your passion at such a young and tender age. It led me to love cooking and entertain with confidence. What you have set out to do is really amazing and you have clearly taken it to the next level. I LOVE IT! This is without a doubt true passion. I am so proud of you my dear old friend xx
MyBurntOrange
June 10, 2013 at 5:56 pmOh my goodness Kegone! I have only just seen your comment! Thank you so much, that is so sweet. Indeed I often think about us in your kitchen when we were just little girls, I even remember the time you told me we didn’t have to use as much oil as we think. You have just testified about a part of me that has always been, you have really boosted my confidence, you really have. 🙂
Joshua Nye
July 15, 2013 at 9:37 pmI have family friends, practically family themselves, who cook amazing Ethiopian/Eritrean food. That is what initially pulled me towards your blog. I love seeing the mix of culture and food, though being a vegetarian now my choices are *slightly* more limited. I’m very glad I stumbled upon you.
MyBurntOrange
July 16, 2013 at 9:57 pmYour comment put a big smile on my face. Thank you so much. Ethiopian food is my next conquest!
Joshua Nye
July 17, 2013 at 3:20 amZigni was always one of my favorites, a huge sacrifice in my choice to give up meat. At least I still have Injera bread!
martha
November 15, 2013 at 6:30 pmHi, Freda, amazing work, for a busy young lady!
MyBurntOrange
November 25, 2013 at 11:48 pmThanks so much Martha for your kind words 🙂
cooking with audrey
February 2, 2014 at 1:52 amyou are gorgeous and i love this blog!!! i would love to get you in front of my camera some day 😀
MyBurntOrange
February 2, 2014 at 1:59 am🙂
vamupamombe
May 19, 2015 at 7:57 amYou nailed it pa Highfiridzi dish.10/10.
Kunanzva mugoti killed us. .. Authentic chibhoyi .Keep it up
myburntorange
May 20, 2015 at 11:10 amThat truly warms my heart! Tinotenda!!!!!!!!
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