Columbus Magazine

25/02/2021

Even though just like the rest of you, we’re gradually climbing the walls and developing cabin fever stuck inside all the time, we do have excellent news!

The one and only Columbus Travel Magazine have a feature article about our book “A Taste of Tanzania” in their February issue. And that is quite something.

Columbus is a household name for all those who love to wander and explore our fabulous planet. They have been inspiring passionate travelers for years now, making their bucket lists longer and longer and longer. Since traveling is reduced to making expeditions to the supermarket or discovering our local parks, they relentlessly continue to keep us dreaming. Especially now! Letting our minds roam freely and helping us answer the biggest of all questions. Where to go once we are finally released into the wild again? To Tanzania, of course!

The 18-page article in Columbus Magazine, featuring lots of pictures and some stories from our book “A Taste of Tanzania,” will definitely make you drool about Tanzania. But there is more. It also gives an in-depth and expert view of how Covid-19 impacts the tourism industry. The stories about how the hospitality sector, especially the significant number of people depending on it in Tanzania, are trying to survive this pandemic are captivating. How this disease also has a considerable impact on wildlife is startling.

We all have our great friend Dirk to thank for that bit. Dirk Janssens is not only Chef Axel’s cousin. He’s the one who founded Onsea House, and he and his wife Inneke (spoiler alert!) Onsea, are at the origin of everything. The lodges, the friendships, our shared passion for Tanzania, and our book.

To top this truly enlightening article, Columbus Magazine also reviews our book. Let’s just say we are still blushing about all the superlatives they used...

Many thanks to Columbus Magazine and especially to Mark Mackintosh (the traveler in chief), Joost Smets (the intrepid reporter), and Vellah Bogle (their digital sorceress.)

We’re off now to add this great accolade to the ‘boasting’ section on our landing page..

Spot on!

16/01/2021

De Morgen, one of the leading newspapers in Belgium wrote a beautiful piece about us this weekend. For many decades now, this newspaper is not only a beacon of information in these times riddled with alternative facts but also a trusted guide for all things lifestyle and travel. And for their Weekend Magazine they selected our book “A Taste of Tanzania” as one of the things to look out for. Well spotted, if we may say so. Thank you to Tine Zwaenepoel, who diligently gathers these weekly pearls for her readers. And now we are off to add this much appreciated compliment, to the ‘bragging section’ on our landing page, if
you’ll excuse us.

UNTOLD HAS A KNACK FOR INSPIRING YOU

03/04/2020

Knock, knock who’s there? Knack!

It was well worth the wait. The article in Knack Weekend of this week by Barbara Serulus, the journalist who accompanied us on our adventures in February, made us jump up and down with excitement. And yes, this counts as our daily dose of exercise locked-up in our shacks.

Reading her in-depth, passionate, and very witty account of her exploration of beautiful Tanzania with us is a real treat. How she suddenly became “Mr. Serious Pierre,” how she clenched her buttocks while flying in the tiny plane taking us into the mythical Serengeti. But mainly how she was blown away by the mind-boggling nature and the surreal luxury in a tented camp.

Kudos to Barbara for giving her readers a ‘serious’ taste of Tanzania. It’s clear that she is totally smitten with Tanzania’s people and the country’s gasp-for-air beauty. A feeling we know all too well.

It’s important to let your imagination soar high and far away, now and again. Now more than ever. Let your mind do the traveling. If you want to boost the dosage and go from 5 pages to 355 pages of Tanzania, may we suggest a short trip to our webshop? Our book ‘A Taste of Tanzania’ is guaranteed to let you dream away for hours and hours and hours.

Read the article in the link here.

UNTOLD FEATURES IN THE ONE AND ONLY…

20/03/2020

…Lonely Planet! Again, and especially in these strange times, it's good to be able to share some good news. Another iconic travel magazine graced us with a review. Lonely Planet is the guiding light for those who want to discover the world far away from the maddening crowds. All those like-minded souls who wish to discover hidden gems and other totally unique spots.

So, yes, it is with great pride and joy that we announce that we are featured in this month's Lonely Planet Magazine. The beautiful double-spread article focusses on the proud Maasai and their elaborate and ancient old coming of age rituals for young Maasai men. You can read all about the many steps it takes to become a Maasai warrior in our book, A Taste of Tanzania. Unsurprisingly the Maasai play a leading role all throughout the book, by the way.

We'd like to thank Sophie Bous and the team at Lonely Planet for the lovely review. Especially in lock-down and only seeing people via FaceTime, it makes us feel a whole lot lonely on this Planet.

UNTOLD MAKES IT INTO THE ICONIC YELLOW RECTANGLE

05/03/2020

When it comes to exploring and discovering our beautiful planet, wildlife photography, and travel stories, there is probably not a more famous name than National Geographic. Just like you, we watched the documentaries as a kid, leafed through their magazines, and dreamed about faraway journeys, wild animals, exciting tribal life, and stunning sceneries.

It's probably where this all started for us…

So, we're very proud and chuffed to share with you that our book A Taste of Tanzania gets a very cool mention and review in February's edition of NatGeo Traveller Magazine. Many thanks to Barbera Bosma and her team for this uplifting boost.

That's all, folks. To summarize: National Geographic. Us. In it.

Sometimes the news is so good that you can keep it short and sweet. Especially when you are lost for words.

UNTOLD GOES BACK TO SCHOOL

28/02/2020

Today we went back to Baraa Primary School. Those who’ve known us for some time know that this school means a lot to us.

Baraa Primary School is a beautiful tale of hope that changed the futures of thousands of children. 10 years ago, Chef Axel and his nephew Dirk Janssens were invited to this school where most of their staff’s children were attending classes. Gutted by what they saw there, they decided to take action and called in the help of the Ithemba foundation. This group of Belgian friends of the nephews immediately started to change things at the school dramatically.

Firm believers in education as a strong foundation to build a better future Ithemba takes things many steps further. They also care for the children’s health with regular check-ups, a varied diet, and clean drinking water. The overall well-being of the pupils is boosted by adding playful learning moments.

Today, more than 2000 children enjoy top-notch education, laugh during the music and art classes, and compete against each other in the many sports that have been added to the curriculum. The well-tended vegetable garden provides the kids with fresh greens in their daily lunch. Teachers in training from all over the world exchange methods with the local teachers. The joy and eagerness to learn in this place is what impresses the most. And they work as hard as they play hard. Baraa Primary School now tops the ranking of school results. Outsmarting expensive private schools.

This project is very dear to us. That’s why we wanted to give it the attention it deserves. A considerable number of things have happened over the years that made Baraa Primary School the school it is today. Still, a lot is planned for many years to come. We kindly invite you to have a look at their websites. Maybe you’d like to help them. To make this story even more beautiful than it already is.

www.ithemba.com

www.baraaprimaryschool.com

UNTOLD SIPS SOME OUTSTANDING BREWSKIS

27/02/2020

In the last couple of days, the main ingredients were: incredible wildlife, beautiful natural surroundings, stunning safaris, and exciting encounters. Today we had something entirely different on the menu.

If we tell you that, amongst others, the ingredients are malt and hop, you should probably already know where this is heading. Yes, correct! Beer. Excellent, golden, thirst-quenching drink. Especially if you have ingested three tons of dust driving on the road.

So, today we visited Twiga Brewery. This local brewery makes hand-crafted beers with the freshest ingredients and the purest of waters.

Twiga Brewery gets its name from the Swahili word for giraffe, hence the logo. This local enterprise honors artisanal beer making and represents and celebrates the vibrancy, beauty, and pride of Tanzania and its people.

Our visit was very edifying, and the beer tastes fantastic! Trust us, we are from Belgium. Our country is famous all over the globe for its beer, and drinking beer is mandatory from kindergarten on. True story. So, we know a little thing or two about beer.

UNTOLD HAS THE PRESS ON ITS HEELS

20/02/2020

Wim, our photographer, is back in Tanzania. Not only to be reunited with the other dude, Chef Axel Janssens, but also in the company of journalist Barbara Serelus, a well-known food journalist and blogger. She will tag along with us the coming weeks to write articles for Knack Weekend and De Standaard Magazine. Both publications are famous for their interest in travel and food and are devoured by many readers every weekend.

Barbara will ride along with the intrepid duo. Besides discovering first-hand what Axel can conjure up in his kitchen at Machweo Fine Dining/Onsea House, they will also explore Arusha City. And especially the kaleidoscope of colors and aromas at the Central Market. Close to Axel’s base of operation, they will also pay a visit to Baraa Primary School, the school that makes a difference for over 2000 children with the help of iThemba, a Belgian NGO. A trip to the splendid Serengeti with many early dawn safaris is also on the agenda. With a stay in Siringit Small Luxury Camp and another chance to sample Axel’s great food. Only this time, surrounded by the maddening wideness of the Serengeti plains and the wildness and beauty of the animals that inhabit them.

When Barbara said ‘adieu’ to Axel, she was still stunned by the magnificent wildlife she had seen. She was also genuinely touched by meeting such a beautiful person and a tremendous chef. We know what she means.

Thank you, Barbara, for being such a delightful companion on yet another adventure in Tanzania. We are looking forward to your articles!

In the meantime, you can discover some behind the scene and making off pictures here. The following days we will also keep you posted about our adventures.

UNTOLD IS A STAR IN DAR

06/02/2020

Untold is going places, that’s for sure. And this time, more particularly to Dar Es Salaam. The bustling mega-city on the Swahili Coast. Not to frolic and catch some sun on the beach, however. But to officially launch our book A Taste of Tanzania in the nation’s capital!

So, our special envoy, Chef Axel, jumped in a plane and headed for Dar Es Salaam for a book signing in A Novel Idea. Sarah Clithero, the owner of this bookshop, was our gracious host for this event.

Many guests who were looking forward to discovering our book attended the function. And this time too, there were a lot of dignitaries. Sorry for the name dropping, but hey, when you’ve got it, flaunt it. Amongst the distinguished guests on this book signing, we were proud and happy to welcome the Ambassador of France, the Ambassador of Brazil, the consul and ambassador of our home country Belgium and many more. Other esteemed guests included representatives of TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks) and TTB (Tanzania Tourist Board). Their enthusiasm and praise about how A Taste of Tanzania portrays their country is a big compliment.

Even though Axel had ‘threatened’ to turn up in his swimming trunks because of the tremendous heat, he turned up in decent attire. He was his usual charming and entertaining self. Of course. He talked about the adventurous travels that led to our marvelous book and shared a couple of anecdotes. Most of all, he probably infected all present with his deep love and passion for his new home country and for cooking. All the while, he signed copies until his wrist hurt.

Thank you, Axel! Thank you, Sarah! Once again, we can look back to a great event and some pretty good PR for our book.

UNTOLD CLIMBS THE KILI, PART DEUX

03/02/2020

Remember how Axel, our flying chef and the star of our book A Taste of Tanzania, took revenge on the Kilimanjaro after his back injury last November? Well, believe it or not, but he just did it again!

It is probably too soon to speak about addiction, and we will still have to see where this is going. Like always, you can count on Wim and me to keep our culinary wizard with both feet firmly on the ground. We do know that he has high aspirations for his Axel Janssens Signature Catering and wants his enterprise to reach the top. Quite literally too, so it seems.

But still: great achievement, bro. In a little under 10 days, he made his steep ascension to the top, as the personal chef of a couple of VIP guests. Just imagine, climbing to the roof of Africa and, at the same time, cooking up incredible food. The views are amazing, we are told. If on top of that, you can also enjoy Axel’s cuisine, it is not only the formidable altitude that makes you light-headed. Kudos and respect to our flying slash climbing chef!

UNTOLD ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET

01/02/2020

Yesterday, our photographer Wim Demessemaekers opened his very first photo exposition with a big bang. Numerous distinguished guests from the diplomatic world and various United Nations organizations were present. An eclectic mix of art lovers gathered at the WTC The Hague Art Gallery to discover his 'Serenity Series.' We were also genuinely charmed by the number of Tanzanians living in The Hague, who came to see with their own eyes how Wim captured the sheer beauty of their country.

Our guest of honor was H.E. Ambassador Irene Kasyanju of the Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania in The Netherlands. After posing for a picture in De Telegraaf, the biggest newspaper in the country, Madam Ambassador addressed the guests.

The beautiful speech Her Excellency gave was impressive. Her praise for our team effort, Wim's exhibition, and, most of all, her total adoration for her beloved Tanzania were genuinely inspiring and heartwarming. Calling our book a truly astonishing homage to her country left us lost for words.

After this, Madam Ambassador officially opened the photo exposition, and the guests could discover the artistic images on the wall. Pictures were marveled at. Friendly chit-chat was exchanged, and drinks were sipped. Bites were eaten with gusto and less moderation.

The reason is simple: the food was phenomenal. The kind people of the Tanzanian Embassy in The Hague offered us local delicacies. Fresh and home-made by some culinary wizards in the Embassy team. Delicious veggie and meat samosas (there is an excellent recipe for samosas in our book A Taste of Tanzania, by the way!). Mandazi, which is a coconut flavored pastry treat. And vitumbua, small fluffy coconut and rice pancakes. All of which only added to the enjoyment of our guests and the Tanzanian theme of this evening.

After signing numerous books, like the proper rock stars we are by now, ahem, Wim's first photo exposition was a fact. He was and still is on cloud nine. The rest of the team also moved in higher circles and mingled with the multitude of diplomats attending. Yesterday was indeed a blast. And the people who honored our event by attending would make many red-carpet events green with envy.

Untold does the “Double Dutch”

17/01/2020

We are getting ready to jump over the border and pay a visit to our favorite upstairs neighbors, the Dutch.

Indeed, in the coming weeks, we will set up camp, so to speak, in The Netherlands. In The Hague, to be precise. In the World Trade Center The Hague Art Gallery to be totally accurate.

On Thursday, January 30th, at 17:00, we have the official opening of Wim’s first-ever photo exposition, and it will be a gem. He carefully selected around 20 pictures that combine the raw intensity of nature with overwhelming poetic tranquility. This ‘Serenity Series’ will be exposed in the WTC The Hague Art Gallery until February 9th.

And our Dutch adventure gets twice as nice! Because on Saturday, February 1st, we will have our official book launch in The Netherlands! That Saturday, between 16:00 and 19:00, our Dutch friends will have the opportunity to peruse our book and to gently stroke its delicate linen covers.

Wim and I will be present to talk about our passion project and to sign copies of ‘A Taste of Tanzania.’ As long as they don’t gently stroke us, that is. We’ll let you know how it went.

Untold does it with Feeling

15/01/2020

Feeling is the biggest glossy magazine in Belgium, the leading publication to discover what is hip and happening when it comes to lifestyle, travel, and culture. And guess what? We have a beautiful 8-page spread (yes, eight!) in their February edition. Oh, what a feeling!

The journalist talks in detail about the pictures, the stories, the makers, and the making of the book. She chose to focus on the Ngorongoro chapters. Who can blame her? The spectacular Ngorongoro Highlands and the fierce and proud Maasai. The iconic crater itself, bursting with wildlife and a magnificent micro-cosmos in its own right. And of course, the stunning accommodations we were fortunate to stay in and Axel’s cuisine.

Feeling nicknamed us ‘The three musketeers’ in the article, btw. Spot on. All for one and one for all! We’re still fighting amongst us who is d’Artagnan, however. And are growing classy, thin French mustaches and goatees to look the part and befit this honorary title.

UNTOLD SPREADS ITS WINGS

13/01/2020

For the last couple of days, we've been walking with our heads in the clouds. There is a reason we are so light-headed and jumping from one fluffy pink cloud to the other, humming 'One Day I'll Fly Away.' KLM, The Royal Dutch Airline, gives some major attention to our book A Taste of Tanzania in their in-flight magazine iFlight.

They are raving about our book and state that A Taste of Tanzania gives you all the reasons to immediately hop on a plane to visit Tanzania yourself. The pictures are eye-candy, the stories are entertaining and riveting, the recipes are mouthwatering.

Another great thing is that hundreds of thousands of passengers taking to the skies with this iconic airline in all parts of the globe will discover and read about A Taste of Tanzania in Dutch, English, Spanish, French, German, …

But enough about us. Because the 'big whopper' announcement is yet to come. And we would really urge you to fasten your seatbelts and remain seated for this one! Because together with KLM, we are giving away a 5-day trip to Tanzania. All expenses paid. What??? Yep.

KLM and Untold Publishing is giving away a trip for two to Tanzania, and you can win it! Go to their iFly page on IG and follow the cabin crew's instructions. You have a chance to experience the first chapter of our book, 'A Taste of Tanzania.'

Check it out, and who knows, you will be the ones to check-in. On your way to an unforgettable adventure. We wish you all good luck! And who knows, a fantastic journey in Tanzania.

UNTOLD IS AIRBORNE

07/01/2020

Ladies and gentlemen, these are your captains speaking. Cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet, we are very excited to announce that we have a tremendous 3-page feature article in Twiga Magazine, the in-flight magazine of Air Tanzania.

This in-depth coverage of our book 'A Taste of Tanzania' means that thousands of people flying in from as far as China and India will discover our passion project. And can start dreaming about their destination before even touching the ground. We are on cloud nine about this!

Must zee tv

14/12/2019

A little while ago, we made a guest appearance on Master Cooks, a tv program on Belgium's Chanel Z, zeroing in on talented food zealots. Arabelle Meirlaen, former lady chef of the year and of Michelin fame was our gracious host. We exchanged ideas about authentic & tasty food with a zest of exotism. We talked about our road trip with her fellow Chef Axel Janssens zigzagging through Tanzania, and the book filled with a zillion gorgeous pictures and stories it resulted in.

CULINAIRE AMBIANCE

05/12/2019

An article about our book “A Taste of Tanzania” was published in Culinaire Ambiance magazine. So proud!

Read the article in the link here.