Thursday, 30 June 2016

PICTURES FROM MY 3RD POP-UP RESTAURANT (BUFFET EDITION!)

If you've been keeping up with my latest exploits then you'd know that the 3rd Vegan Nigerian pop-up restaurant took place yesterday (June 29th) at La Suite West. 

Straying away from the format of the last two events, I decided to try out a buffet, which - my goodness - was a definite winner. And not just for the guests, but also for me (talk about profoundly cutting down stress levels!) Don't get me wrong, I love the creativity and polish of a plated service, and I'm not doing away with that format forever, but there is something so satisfying about allowing guests to help themselves and have a wider variety to choose from. It also meant that I wasn't stuck behind the scenes for most of the night, and I could have more robust conversations, hear instant feedback, and generally enjoy the night along with everyone else!

So, if you missed this event, I hope to see you at the next. I am currently scouting for a second location in another part of London in order to spread myself out a bit, so who knows, I might decide to hit you with two dates at once very soon. We'll see!

If you were at the event last night and snapped some pictures, I'd love to see them! :) Either send to me directly at: vegannigerian@gmail.com or tag me on social media @vegannigerian. 

*Special thank you to my mum who is my number one inspiration for being a boss lady, and to the lovely Cristina for helping out*

Here are some shots from last night: 






















Monday, 13 June 2016

THE VEGAN NIGERIAN POP-UP RESTAURANT #3 - BUFFET!

*Limited spaces. Advanced booking required.* 

Another month, another Vegan Nigerian pop-up. And this time around, the format is a little different and laid-back. Come along and enjoy a buffet of delicious Nigerian (inspired) snacks, meals and desserts. Yes, jollof rice is on the menu. And yes, it's going to be another fun event. Looking forward to seeing you there! :)

When: 29th June 2016
Time: 7pm
Where: La Suite West Hotel, Bayswater, London, W2 3JN

What to expect: 
- Canapes 
- Cold buffet & Salads: finger foods and a selection of fresh salads 
- Hot buffet: jollof rice, fired rice, stewed vegetables, plantain 
- Dessert table: a selection of sweet treats 
- Drinks 

For any special dietary requirements, email: vegannigerian@gmail.com 

Buy your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-vegan-nigerian-pop-up-restaurant-3-buffet-tickets-26021686565


Sunday, 12 June 2016

ITALY 2016 | TRAVEL VLOG + VEGAN FOOD DISCOVERIES [VIDEO]

I ditched London for a bit and spent a glorious week in Italy. The timing for this trip couldn't have been more ideal, as returning back, I now find myself faced with new life opportunities, prospects and challenges. The time away gave me a chance to mostly switch off, relax, and just thoroughly relish this thing we call life. It gave me a chance to review the goals I had set for myself earlier this year - reflect on the ones I have already accomplished, and plan leisurely for the ones to come.

In the video below, I share snippets from my time in Porto Santo Stefano (Tuscany) - where I lived with my friend & former chef co-worker, Giulia, and her family - and my day out in Rome discovering a handful of vegan delights that the city has to offer.

It's bitter-sweet being back and leaving all of that sunshine behind, but I can't begin to describe how refreshed I feel and how motivated I am to push forward with what's to come... such as the next pop-up restaurant event which is scheduled to take place at the end of this month. More info on that soon. But for now, if you want to keep up to date on everything, do follow me over on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram.

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead! x

Friday, 27 May 2016

STRAWBERRY AND MINT PASTRIES


























These mini pastries are cute, colourful and sweet. Even better, extremely easy to make.
Imagine presenting these as dessert canapés at parties, dinners and other social gatherings - you can make an impression with very little effort. And why not mix things up by using other brightly coloured fruits as the filling - mango, papaya..etc.
There are no limits.


Ingredients
- Ready-roll puff pastry
- Strawberries (finely chopped)
- Maple syrup
- Mint (roughly chopped)

Method
Cut the puff pastry into small squares.

Spoon some chopped strawberries into the centre of each square and pinch the edges inwards to create the crust.

Bake in the oven, gas mark 6, for about 10-15 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked.

Take the pastries out and brush the edges with some maple syrup to enhance the golden colour and give extra sweetness.

Place back in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Serve with a generous sprinkling of chopped mint.

Told you it was easy... :)

Friday, 20 May 2016

GARRI-CRUSTED AVOCADO FRIES [VIDEO]

Hello wonderful people. This random recipe was borne out of contemplating what to do with the avocado and garri I had left over from the 2nd pop-up. Crunchy on the outside, soft & smooth on the inside. Sounded good to me; turned out as scrumptious as I imagined. Take your taste-buds on a slightly wacky culinary journey with this super simple recipe. And as summer encroaches, perhaps this would be a worthy addition as a side dish at BBQs, picnics and parties.









Thursday, 12 May 2016

2ND VEGAN NIGERIAN POP-UP RESTAURANT

As I type this, I am in ultimate chill-out mode. Hosting a pop-up is a tiring affair - I'm not even going to sugar-coat that. But it is all so worth it when everything comes together as you imagine - from the food, to the atmosphere, to the general feedback. And hey, no one ever said it was going to be easy. I plan to do a lot more of these - glutton for punishment that I am - and so if you're interested in attending a future event, do follow me on social media as you are likely to hear about it there first. 

The turn out was great, the atmosphere was convivial and the grind was real. I had three friends helping out behind the scenes this time, and between the four of us, we managed to cook, set up, serve guests and clear up at the end of the night. I think I will soon reach a point where I need to consider hiring people to help out, but I'm not going to dwell on that for now. One step at a time. 

I was extremely excited about the menu at this particular pop-up as a few elements were quite experimental. Each dish came to life on the day, just as I'd imagined them in my head and in my diagrams. Nothing beats creative expression, and I can't wait to grow and develop in this regard.

Thank you to all my guests; really hope to see you all again! And special shout-out to Felicia who came along and shot some scenes for a documentary she's working on, and also to fellow YouTuber and Nigerian vegan, Paul for being so kind and helping out at the end. Be sure to check out his YouTube channel

And now, pictures....








KENT VEGAN FESTIVAL 2016 [VIDEO]























It's been a while since I've taken to my stall, what with moving to London, working, and getting stuck into new projects such as writing a novel and hosting pop-up restaurant events. If I had to describe this year so far in one word, it would be: productive. And that's how I like it to be. When I heard about the Kent Vegan Festival, which took place in Canterbury this year on Saturday May 7th, I knew immediately that I had to be there. I lived in Kent for many years, and was simply excited that such a thing was taking place so close to home.


When deciding what to take to the festival, I opted for something a little different from my usual cakes and cupcakes. I still made brownies...because brownies always go down a treat...but this time, I also had some dried fruits such as dates, mango, and banana. Then, staying true to my brand, I had to have plantain chips as well. I only took a few in order to test the market and sheesh, was I in for a surprise. Not only did they sell out in record time, but I got some seriously amazing reviews on them. So now I know. Next time, I'll be flooding my table with plantain chips. And next time will be sooner rather than later, as I have now signed up to be at the Maidstone Vegan Festival in July, also in Kent, and also very close to home. Aside from being a part of these events, the major plus side is that I get to escape for a couple of days to spend time with my family.

All in all, the Kent Vegan Festival was a wonderful event, full of great stalls and great vegan food. The warm weather and sunshine on the day brought some extra cheer to the event. And I have to tip my hat to the organisers who made it such a stress-free event to be a part of. Well done to everyone involved, and hopefully see you next year!



Tuesday, 26 April 2016

POP-UP RESTAURANT #2

Got to keep that momentum going!

I'm hosting the second Vegan Nigerian Pop-Up Restaurant experience and if you're in London then I'd love to see you there! Come through for some great food, great music, and great company :)

*20 spaces available and advanced booking required*

When: Wednesday 11th May 2016

Where: La Suite West Hotel, 41-51 Inverness Terrace, Bayswater, London, W2 3JN

Time: 7pm

Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-vegan-nigerian-pop-up-restaurant-2-tickets-24813550999