Growing up in Zimbabwe, Sibu Mafundikwa’s mother taught her how to cook. Those early family dinners gave rise to a passion that would take Mafundikwa across the world—from Stockholm to New York City—and eventually lead her to open her own Zimbabwean restaurant in Bethlehem. “My career started as a housekeeper, and I worked my way up,” says Mafundikwa, owner and chef at Braai Hut.
After spending a few years working in hotels and restaurants across the Lehigh Valley, Mafundikwa decided to launch Braai Hut because she saw a gap in the local restaurant market for ethnic foods. She wanted to introduce the flavor of her home kitchen to the local culinary scene.
The new restaurant, Braai Hut, which translates to “barbecue kitchen,” specializes in handmade Zimbabwean cuisine, including flame-grilled peri peri chicken, roasted corn, couscous and chakalaka beans. But Mafundikwa plans to introduce even more menu offerings as the business expands. “I wanted to bring the home-cooked flavor into the restaurant business,” she says. “The flavor is mainly what I was going for.”
216 E. Broad St., Bethlehem | 610.849.2263 | braaihutpa.com
