Food is a reflection of society, The award-winning chef, Ify Mogekwu whose Nigerian dishes with a twist are shaking up the fine-dining scene is our special cover girl for September.

A-CHOICES: Hi Ify, first of all, I’d like to thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your educational background.

IFY: I am a lawyer, multi-award-winning food content creator, TV cooking show host, entrepreneur, YouTuber, social media influencer, a mum of two kids and a wife. I studied law at the University of Ibadan where I graduated with a second-class upper following which I attended law school ( Abuja Campus) and also graduated with a second-class upper. I am also a chartered secretary and administrator and a corporate governance expert. 

A-CHOICES: What inspired you to become a chef

IFY: I became a chef out of the passion I have for making delicious meals and creating outstanding recipes.

A-CHOICES: Career path after studies.

IFY: I practiced law for well over a decade in two top-notch law firms in Lagos Nigeria. My area of specialty was in commercial and company law. I resigned in 2021 to become a full-time entrepreneur and food content creator.

A-CHOICES: Food Philosophy

IFY: My food philosophy is simple. Good food starts from getting the freshest and best quality ingredients. Food should be nutritious, pleasing to the eyes, and pleasurable to eat. Making good food does not have to be a difficult process.

A-CHOICES: Number one kitchen rule

IFY: For me, safety and hygiene is a priority. So it is important that your hands must be thoroughly washed all the time and surfaces well cleaned. Store food correctly. The kitchen must always be well-cleaned after each use.

A-CHOICES: Is it important for young Nigerian chefs to get international work experience?

IFY: I always say the more exposure you have, the more valuable you become. The benefits of getting international work experience are enormous. Some benefits include developing advanced culinary skills, expanding your repertoire of recipes while learning tips and tricks from the main source, expanding your network, etc. At the end of the day, when you choose to return to your home country, you will definitely become well sought after and ultimately become better paid.  However, if one is desirous of getting international work experience but is unable to travel outside Nigeria, one way to go about it would be to work closely with international chefs here in Nigeria and acquire such skills and experience as best as they can.

A-CHOICES: Thoughts on the current food trend

IFY: Some of the current food trends are increased interest in healthier foods, people eating more plant-based diets, reduction of food wastage, and eating more locally accessible foods. These trends which are geared towards sustainable food practices, and building a more health-conscious society are to be applauded and encouraged.  The world population is fast growing and in order to curb food insecurity and protect the environment, we must continue to preach sustainable food systems.

A-CHOICES: Top 5 ingredients to cook with:

This is a difficult one as I love to play around with different ingredients but I’d say my top 5 ingredients are Onions, butter, pepper, ginger, and garlic.

A-CHOICES: What do I like about my job

IFY: I love the fact that I get to share my passion with people and help demystify the art of cooking. 

A-CHOICES: What kind of food did you grow up eating or reading about?

IFY: I grew up with a diet rich in Nigerian food. My mum also loved cooking and experimenting with non-Nigerian food. So in addition to our regular Nigerian jollof rice, rice and stew, yam and egg sauce, swallow and soups, I also ate pancakes, rice and chicken curry sauce, French toast, and sandwiches.

A-CHOICES: What’s one dish that takes you back to your childhood?

IFY: Ah, there are severally dishes. it’s difficult to choose just one. my mum loved to make pounded yam and ofe Nsala with chicken and fresh fish and I absolutely enjoyed eating that. Her moinmoin was way out of this world. So soft and delicious. I remember always looking forward to it every Saturday morning.

A-CHOICES: What genre of books do you enjoy reading the most (and why)?

IFY: I enjoy reading self-development books because I always look for ways to improve myself and become better in everything I do. I also enjoy reading fiction novels because sometimes I want to lose myself in the writer’s imagination and travel to wherever the writer is taking me.

A-CHOICES: What’s the last book you read that changed your mind about food? 

IFY:I can’t recall any right now.

A-CHOICES: What’s something simple that continues to surprise you about cooking?

IFY: It’s actually very easy to build flavours if you know what you are doing and are patient enough to follow the process.

A-CHOICES: What’s a common misconception about Nigerian ( African) food?

IFY: Nigerian food is not presentable and palm oil is bad. Many chefs and food bloggers are working very hard these days to dispel that misconception and we are doing a very decent job of that.  You can see from our work that our dishes look very presentable and delicious. We take great care to plate our dishes, we also use colourful ingredients to make them look more attractive. Regarding palm oil, I get a lot of remarks from non-Nigerians that we should stop using palm oil for health reasons. Contrary to their beliefs, palm oil is an excellent source of antioxidants and generally more healthy than most oils out there. Like most things, it is to be used in moderation as it is high in saturated fat.

A-CHOICES: Cooking brings people together, Food is a connector, food is language, food is culture – so, as a chef, you have a lot of responsibility. Can you share any food memories since the inception of  Ify’s Kitchen with me?

One food memory I love is when we cook food in bulk and distribute food to the less privilege on the street. The joy we see on their faces is always worth it. It is our way of tell ing them we love and care for them.

A-CHOICES: How would you describe yourself?

IFY: I am very much goal-oriented and passionate about food. I strive to execute anything I do with excellence and I am constantly seeking to improve myself. I do not take myself too seriously and try to have fun wherever I am.

A-CHOICES: What are the five most interesting things people do not know about Nigeria?

• Nigerians have a great sense of humour.
• We are very rich in culture and this shows in our diverse language, food, and cultural attire.
•  We are very family-oriented and do not take kindly to anyone or act that has the potential to break up a family.
•  Nigerians have a high level of resilience. We are self-driven and can make it anywhere in the world.
• Our fashion sense and Music are on another level.

A-CHOICES: What challenges have you encountered while pursuing your dream? 

Getting skilled, honest, and reliable staff is a major challenge. Most people don’t value hard work to attain the level they want. Also, the rising cost of living and doing business is a major challenge. 

A-CHOICES: What does a typical day look like for you now?

IFY:  I am usually awake every day at about 5 a.m. I do my morning devotions and plan the day’s activities. At 6 am I am out for an hour brisk walking or jogging. When I get back, I assist in getting the kids ready for school and then I do school runs. From 9 am to 2.30 pm I am in my studio kitchen creating food or brand content, reviewing videos with my team for my YouTube Channel, reviewing contracts, or attending to emails. I have a meal before dashing out at 2:30 p.m. for school runs. I thereafter spend some time with the kids ensuring they are fed and have done their homework. Around 4 p.m., I continued editing and posting videos on IG, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. After that, I spend about 2 hours engaging in the comments sections on all platforms as I like to personally engage with my audience. By this time it’s about 7 pm and I help get the kids fed and ready for bed. Hubby and I have dinner and chat about the day.  The day ends for me at about 9.30 pm when I get on my bed responding to DMs, and replying to comments on all platforms till I fall asleep.

A-CHOICES: Can you tell us one geeky thing about yourself that people don’t know about you?

IFY: I love to motivate other people.

A-CHOICES: What are some of your hobbies?

IFY: Reading fiction novels, travelling to African countries to learn more about their food and culture.

A-CHOICES: Your favourite music, and movies?

IFY: I recently saw Queen Charlotte and I loved it. I am not such a music lover but I am currently loving Spyro’s “Who is your guy” and Adekunle Gold’s Ogaranya.

A-CHOICES: What advice would you give to aspiring chefs when they first start working in the industry?

IFY: Handwork never kills. Work hard and work smart. Be creative and bold. Connect with other chefs and keep learning.

A-CHOICES: What are your goals for the future?

IFY: To travel more around the world, learn about the cuisines of other countries, and incorporate them into our local dishes. Develop my own cookware line and impact more people around the world with my culinary skills.