Flavours of Home dinner to spotlight Congolese stories and cuisine at Foster’s Inn

Stratford diners will have a chance to explore the flavours, music and stories of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) later this month as the Provocation Ideas Festival launches its 2026 Flavours of Home dinner series at Foster’s Inn.

Set for March 19, Flavours of Home: Congolese Stories and Cuisine pairs newcomer cook Esperance Nyantungane with the Foster’s kitchen team for an intimate, 60-seat culinary storytelling experience.

“Flavours of Home is an intimate culinary storytelling series where food becomes a pathway into the lives of Stratford’s newest residents,” said festival founder Mark Rosenfeld. “Each event pairs a newcomer with a Stratford restaurant to co-create a menu inspired by their region of origin. As the meal is served, guests are invited into the story behind it – how these dishes shaped a life, carried across borders and found new meaning in a new home.”

The March 19 event focuses on Congolese culture through Nyantungane’s cooking and family story. Born in South Kivu province in eastern DRC, she and her husband, Shinga, fled escalating violence and persecution in 2012, spending four years in a refugee camp in Burundi before being accepted to Canada. The couple eventually settled in Stratford in 2019, where they are now raising their seven children.

Rosenfeld said the idea for this particular dinner grew out of local connections. Through Margaret Smart, executive director at the Local Community Food Centre, he was introduced to Peter and Liisa Farrugia, close friends and supporters of Nyantungane’s family.

“Esperance is an extraordinary cook and was excited to share the flavours and traditions of the Democratic Republic of Congo with the Foster’s Inn culinary team,” Rosenfeld said. “For many Stratford residents, Congolese cuisine will be completely new, which makes this a rare opportunity not just to taste unfamiliar dishes, but to learn the history and meaning behind them from someone who has lived that story.”

Nyantungane’s menu is described as rich, vibrant and deeply rooted in Congolese tradition, featuring dishes such as ndangala (crispy small fish), Congolese-spiced grilled beef skewers, cassava, ugali, roasted chicken, slow-cooked beef and warm mikate beignets. Throughout the evening, she will share the stories behind the food and her family’s journey to Stratford, accompanied by short video clips of the family singing and dancing.

“Guests will experience a delicious, authentic Congolese meal they’re unlikely to find anywhere else in southwestern Ontario, and the story behind it,” Rosenfeld said. “It’s an evening of flavour, resilience and human connection – one that reminds us how food can bridge experiences and bring a community together.”

Flavours of Home: Congolese Stories and Cuisine takes place Thursday, March 19 at Foster’s Inn, 111 Downie St. in Stratford. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets are limited to 60 seats and can be reserved at: https://tables.toasttab.com/fosters-inn-111-downie-street/experience/foster-s-presents-flavours-of-home.

The event is the first of three Flavours of Home dinners planned for this spring, each highlighting the food and stories of Stratford’s newest neighbours.

Details on Stratford’s 2026 Provocation Ideas Festival lineup will be published in a future edition of the Stratford Times.