NIYI
When 28-year-old Niyi Obafemi-Olopade told me that his comfort food was perhaps the most popular African dish to spread outside of Africa, I was surprised. When he told me that he wouldn’t be following a recipe, I was even more surprised considering that he makes a living from social media food content.
Jollof Rice, much like its rich history, has a widely-known reputation born from the African diaspora. From country to country throughout Western Africa, including Niyi’s native Nigeria, there is a forged and feigned sense of ownership over the dish; like any regional staple, every area and family believes that their version is the best, that it’s theirs to claim.
Surprisingly, Niyi doesn’t claim his is the best. In fact, he is almost slating his version before the cooking even begins; different water, ingredient quality and environment, apparently, puts him at a disadvantage. Here, in his East London flat, he recalls the first time he ever made the dish: “One of my sisters initially showed me a recipe, but then over the years, the more you cook, the more you have a little bit more licence to experiment with how you like it in terms of flavour.”
These more traditional flavours, starting with a base of tomatoes and onion, are often layered with a variety of heady spices: from curry powder to thyme to Grains of Selim (black pepper’s smokier, more floral cousin), the specifics vary both by the country and from home to home.
He begins by doing exactly that: blitzing tomatoes, shallots and scotch bonnets while toasting some tomato puree to extract oils and, as Niyi puts it, “add a depth of flavour”. This step is crucial for the unmistakable red colour of the dish; he’s opting for curry powder, thyme and all-purpose seasoning for his aromatics, but it’s just what he “had on hand”.
“Some people probably think mine isn’t spicy enough. I don’t use too much chilli because I think the food should sing for itself,” he says. “Some people, for example, would add peas or carrots to their Jollof Rice, but what I’ve come to the conclusion for mine is it doesn’t need any backup dancers or collaborators, it will just do its work for itself.”
It’s easy to tell that this, not just cooking the dish but also speaking about his heritage, means the world to Niyi. Like many West African cultures, community is at the heart of Nigerian social life, and being one of 15 children, he is no stranger to large celebrations and gatherings.
“Food has a massive connection to home. For example, the dish I’m cooking now, the best times I’ve ever had that dish was when I go to Nigeria just because of that homey feel,” he recalls. “From a Nigerian perspective, you can’t really have a party without having Jollof Rice. I guess it’s also taking me back to those fun memories of being back there.”
From a Nigerian perspective, you can't really have a party without having Jollof Rice."
With the wooden spoon, he monitors the flavour of the dish by putting the skinny side to the palm of his hand and bringing it to his mouth to taste. As he tells me about his favourite foods, he adds the rice to the pot and laughs, “Oh, fuck. I just messed it up a bit.”
Niyi has never claimed to be a Michelin-Star chef, in fact, he has created business ventures banking on the idea of being a “novice” in the kitchen. Novice Kitchen began as exactly that, an inexperienced London bloke looking to connect to not only his culture but also to those that influenced him as an adult.
Providing “cultural enlightenment in the kitchen” by giving beginner cooks the skills (and sauces) needed to feel confident in the kitchen, NK is largely inspired by Niyi’s travels. With a Balinese Jam and Tropical Heat hot sauce on store shelves, the entrepreneur gives a lot of credit to his father for instilling a love of culture and food into their family life.
“When I was younger, we spent quite a lot of time travelling around, and he was always quite keen that I learned about the different cultures through food,” he tells me. “To be honest, most of the time I absolutely hated it and was kind of crying my eyes out at the dinner table. It wasn’t that deep, but I think it did give me a real appreciation for different cultures and I think that’s maybe why I’ve carried this on further now.”
He admits this isn’t the cheapest hobby, but it’s more than just travelling the world, it’s about getting a deeper understanding of cultures and their food while sharing that joy and curiosity with others.
At what point does the novice blossom into a master? Niyi is modest, but from the result of the meals produced on his socials, including the one he made today, his skill set may be progressing into professional territory. Industry professionals certainly seem to agree, landing Novice Kitchen a nomination for Supper Club of the year.
“The main thing is to get people to learn about different cultures and to show that cooking isn’t that intimidating… When people send me messages on Insta saying they tried a recipe or learned something, it's very important that message gets across. [With the nomination], I came to the realisation that it's more impactful than I initially thought. Behind the scenes, it’s made an impact on people enough for them to nominate NK for something like this. It’s nice to be recognised from that aspect.”
Even award-nominated people make mistakes in the kitchen, and unfortunately, the Jollof Rice didn’t turn out the way Niyi had hoped. Jollof Rice is a delicate balancing act; too little water and the rice isn’t fully cooked, too much and it’s soggy. This time around, it’s the latter but he managed to maintain a flavour that was still spot on.
“It makes me feel like I’m home. The water’s not the same, the food’s not the same, the rice isn’t the same, but this is my own interpretation of it,” he closes his eyes, smiling. “There are so many elements that I try to recreate to get as close as possible to trick your mind into feeling that comfort of home.”
There's so many elements that I try to recreate to get as close as possible to trick your mind into feeling that comfort of home."
