Adejoké Bakare, a Nigerian chef running her modern west African cuisine restaurant, Chishuru, in London, recently became the UK’s first black female chef to win a Michelin star. Bakare’s approach to cooking is rooted in the culinary traditions of Nigeria’s Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo ethnic groups. She showcases these culinary legacies in Chishuru’s dishes, and her restaurant has become a popular fixture on the city’s foodie scene.
Bakare’s passion for food started in childhood, but she took a detour to study biological sciences in college. She ran a fish and chip cart between lectures and later worked in the care industry and property management. In 2017, she rediscovered her love for cooking by hosting supper clubs. Bakare won a competition to open a three-month pop-up in Brixton in 2019, and it turned into a permanent fixture. Bakare and her business partner Matt Paice relocated Chishuru to its new Fitzrovia location in September 2020.
Bakare hopes that her achievement will inspire aspiring chefs from minority ethnic backgrounds. “Representation matters so it’s nice to think my star might encourage other black female chefs in the UK,” she said. “The industry is changing, gradually, but it’s not just about employers – it’s the landlords and critics and investors who need to broaden their horizons beyond the most familiar cuisines.”
Despite the accolades, it is the memories of home cooking that filled Bakare’s childhood that inspire and fuel her passion for cooking. She aims to present and honor the food of her heritage, the food her grandmother cooked for her. Bakare’s achievement is a significant step in increasing diversity in the culinary industry and creating space for chefs from diverse backgrounds
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