MEET EMEKA AND IFEYINWA FREDERICK, THE BROTHER-SISTER DUO MAKING WAVES IN THE LONDON FOOD SCENE

I met up for an early morning conversation with brother and sister duo, Emeka (é-meh-ka) and Ifeyinwa (i-fay-in-wa) who have founded Chuku’s, the Nigerian-inspired tapas lounge. I wanted to gain more insight of their entrepreneurial exploits, why they believe food is more than just food and how their experiences has helped shaped their joint-business venture.

“I was 16 when my dad told me I would need money for sixth form, and it was either get a job or come work for him. I decided to start my own dance school and that funded me throughout the whole sixth form - I would teach a group of 14 girls on Friday and charge about £7 per class” said Ifeyinwa. Even before reading ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ at a young age, her entrepreneurial spirit had already been ignited, selling stickers in primary school. Her brother Emeka’s childhood was very similar, selling 1p sherbets then expanding his mini empire to 10p Mega Rainbow Dust. “Our mother always used to tell us, why don't you two start a business together. It’s somewhat prophetic that many years later we have” said Emeka.

Being entrepreneurial is a trait that runs in their family, and the brother and sister duo have always been supportive of each other throughout their separate projects. “It is really odd as we did spend quite a lot of time apart, like my time at my boarding school or when I was living in Spain and Ifeyinwa in Martinique” commented Emeka.
The passion for food
Living in Spain for a year reignited Emeka’s passion for cooking, it made him feel a lot calmer and reminded him how much he enjoyed seeing others enjoying his food. Whilst Emeka loves cooking, Ifeyinwa loves eating, “I love good food, food that tastes good but is also good for your body. I love how food brings us all together and stimulates conversations – it’s more than just nutrition, it brings families together.”

Coming from a Nigerian and Grenadian background, they grew up on food that was foreign to their peers at that time.
“Food becomes part of your identity. At school my packed-lunches were very different to my classmates, whilst others had cheese and cucumber sandwiches, mine had scents of spices and distinctive smells. I’m sure others could relate to feeling embarrassed when someone asked ‘What is that?” said Ifeyinwa.

The way food is prepared, how it tastes and even how it is eaten differs from culture to culture. “Food for us is a time to catch up with family and friends we don’t see all time. Going to our nan’s for a Caribbean dinner or our family coming together on special occasions for some home-cooked Nigerian cuisine - the social aspect of food is very important to making our family cohesive” said Emeka.
Trying something new
Chuku’s - Chop, Chat, Chill pop-ups are about exploring their Nigerian heritage, showcasing and sharing it with others through the medium of food. “We prepare Nigerian-inspired tapas, an adaptation of Spanish tapas, alongside African music and art, to create a relaxing and open atmosphere for chilling and conversation” said Emeka.

Emeka’s experience in Spain is very much apparent in their pop up kitchen - “the great thing about the tapas format is that the food is meant for sharing and it facilitates conversation. On a Sunday, we would chill at a tapas bar with friends coming and going the whole day, which is very different from a restaurant or bar. We wanted to bring that style to London infused with our Nigerian culture.”

Ifeyinwa understands very well the psychology that goes behind eating food, and looks to open people’s mind with their tapas style lounge, “we understand African food can be daunting, especially for people who have not had it before. Our format allows you to embrace a new culture without committing to a whole dish.”

Caribbean and African culture are very vibrant in their own right, it would have been great to see them both fused together. Ifeyinwa explains to me why they have opted to showcase solely their Nigerian heritage.

"I love Caribbean food; I love the food that our father and grandmother cooks. The reason why we haven't included it is because we feel Caribbean food is already on the London map. A lot of non-Caribbean people are aware of Caribbean places to eat in London but I strongly believe that it’s not the same for West African food, in particular Nigerian food. We want to include West Africa in the London food discussion.”

West African food is now starting to make small waves within the food circuit in London, recents events from the Groundnut and Chalé! Let’s Eat are bringing awareness to beautiful flavours of West African food. “Sub-Saharan Africa is still seen as a taboo or a risky place to go. What we can do is open discussions around our food and culture, we want people to come experience something new at our pop-ups and see the positives West Africa has to offer” said Emeka.

I had never tried Nigerian cuisine before meeting Emeka and Ifeyinwa, I was intrigued to know what to expect. “Trying a new dish such as jollof quinoa or yamas bravas is not as alien an experience as you may expect. You may have tried many of the foods we have but the only difference is the way it’s seasoned and prepared. Just expect good food, prepared well!” said Ifeyinwa.

Recognising challenges Time and energy has been one of their biggest challenges; working full time, running other projects (Ifeyinwa's successful Grey Matters’ exhibition), and dealing with other commitments (Emeka recently competing in a gruesome triathlon). “We have been speaking about this idea since 2011. We both have been doing different things which has made it difficult. But there has been only one person I always wanted to work with."

"I looked at my younger sister for inspiration and I waited for the right moment to work with her and now we are here. Your energy triples when you are working with someone who is on the same level” said Emeka.

They both recognise that ‘patience’ is something they both had to improve on. They both had to learn that sometimes good things take time and to ignore the want for things to be better instantly. I was enlightened by our conversation with the creative duo, and how Ifeyinwa ended the conversation will probably be sketched into my mind for eternity - “Having an idea and postponing it till a better time is not the same as giving up - Don’t give up! Sometimes it’s important to wait for the right time.”

You may have missed out on their most recent event but click here to read our review of Chuku’s Nigerian-inspired tapas lounge.

Follow @chukusldn on twitter to stay updated with future events!

Subjects - Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick of Chuku's - the Nigerian-inspired tapas lounge

Photographer & Writer - Kofi Dwaah