Sabi Chef set to discover, reward and reposition Nigeria’s street food culture
By Ralph Tathagata
Preparations are underway to discover, reward, rebrand and reposition “roadside foods” and their vendors in Nigeria. Committed to finding latent talents of those with excellent culinary skills on the streets, Newspread.ng, an independent online newspaper, has introduced a street cooking competition tagged Sabi Chef.
According to the organisers, the inaugural edition of the street cooking competition is scheduled to be held on 8 December, 2023, at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos, Director/Editor-in-Chief of Newspread.ng, Uche Nnadozie, said, “Newspread is an independent online newspaper celebrating Nigerians and their accomplishments through news reporting wherever they may be. “It is in continuation of the role of showcasing the creativity of Nigerians that we decided to invite street chefs to compete against one another with a view to elevating their craft and recognising their talent and work ethics in a fast-changing world.”
Mr. Nnadozie stated that the initiative is geared towards the celebration of local culture, while explaining that street food is an integral part of Nigeria’s culture. Specifically, he described Lagos as the melting pot of Nigeria’s culture.
“This is why we are starting our quest for popular street cuisines in the megacity of Lagos by hosting a competition dedicated to it so that we can celebrate the local food culture and traditions of our people.”
“Our show provides a platform for talented chefs and cooks to showcase their culinary skills and creativity in preparing varieties of street foods,” he said.
The media boss is convinced that Sabi Chef, strategically designed to be an annual festival in Nigeria, will attract tourists and impact the economy of the country.
“Good festivals such as Sabi Chef can attract tourists and food enthusiasts, thereby boosting the local economy through increased footfall and spending,” he added.
In a bid to make Sabi Chef an international festival, CEO of Newspread.ng, Shola Ewuola, said that plans are underway to host a Sabi Chef show in London, England, by middle of next year while the second leg of the Nigerian edition would be hosted in December, 2024.
On how the initiative is capable of fostering innovation, Mr. Ewuola said, “Encouraging chefs to experiment and innovate with street food can lead to the creation of unique and delicious dishes that can benefit the local food scene.
“Street food brings people together, and a competition can promote community engagement and a sense of togetherness.”
To qualify to participate in Sabi Chef, the organisers said that the entry is open to Nigerians who are from 18 years and above, and who are not professional chefs.
“There shall be 10 finalists chosen from hundreds of applicants from across Nigeria. The applicants should send a one-minute video for our panel of judges to score with set criteria. As we begin our market storms this week, we shall also use the avenue to onboard hundreds of interested participants directly on the street,” the organisers said.
Sabi Chef provides a platform for chefs to network, learn from each other, and potentially form collaborations. The maiden edition will serve as a means to celebrate local culture, promote culinary skills, boost tourism and the economy, foster innovation, engage communities, educate consumers about food safety, provide entertainment, and offer networking opportunities in the food industry.
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