The vibrant sights, sounds, and aromas of Ghana’s beloved waakye filled the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park on Saturday, as thousands gathered for the annual Maggi Waakye Summit.
The festival, now in its seventh year, solidified its status as the nation’s premier celebration of the iconic rice-and-beans dish, drawing an estimated crowd of over 10,000 enthusiastic patrons.
The event transformed the park into a bustling hub of culinary and cultural activity, featuring more than 70 vendors serving authentic waakye with its essential accompaniments, rich stew, spicy shito, and boiled eggs.
Beyond the food, the summit offered a full day of music, art, and games, embodying the communal spirit at the heart of Ghanaian food culture.
In a statement at the festival, Mark Okyere-Mensah, Category Manager for Culinary at Nestlé Ghana, emphasized the event’s alignment with the company’s “Good Food, Good Life” philosophy. “
The festive season is about connection, and food is central to that,” he said.
“Our partnership with the organisers, Le Leon, through our Maggi brand, is a natural fit for a gathering that celebrates how meals bring people together.”
Magherita Amon, Brands Manager for Maggi at Nestlé Ghana, highlighted the brand’s intrinsic role in the dish’s preparation.
“Maggi is a key ingredient that unlocks the full, familiar flavour of authentic waakye stew and shito,” she stated. “For many Ghanaians, that rich taste is inseparable from our seasoning.”
Organisers reported that applied lessons from previous years contributed to this edition’s expanded scale and engagement.
The summit successfully served as a year-end platform for community bonding, bringing together vendors, families, and food lovers from all walks of life.
The 2025 Maggi Waakye Summit once again demonstrated that waakye is more than a meal, it is a powerful cultural symbol that continues to unite Ghanaians around shared heritage and community pride.
