Fuji star Alhaji Taye Currency is set to headline the entertainment programme at the Ibadan Chops’N’Chill festival, a food and lifestyle event designed to showcase Nigerian cuisine and promote emerging culinary talent.
Organisers said the festival would attract between 1,500 and 2,000 guests, including chefs, food lovers, entrepreneurs, creatives, influencers and entertainment fans.
The convener, Chinwendu Fetus, popularly known as Chef Wendy, announced the plans in a statement ahead of the event.
She said the festival, themed “Empowering Young Chefs, Celebrating Nigerian Flavours,” would feature a cooking competition, live music, networking and lifestyle activities.
According to her, Taye Currency will perform live, bringing Fuji music to a programme centred on food, creativity and opportunities for young chefs.
Chef Amaka, Chef Dee and Chef T will judge the cooking competition. They are also expected to share professional insights with contestants and guests.
Chef Wendy said the contest would allow budding chefs to demonstrate their skills and creativity before a live audience while connecting with professionals in the food and hospitality industry.
She explained that the festival was conceived to help young chefs and food entrepreneurs gain exposure, meet prospective customers and build relationships with established industry figures.
The event, she added, would spotlight emerging talents contributing to the growth of Nigeria’s food industry.
Chef Wendy, who founded Wendy’s Kitchen and Wendy’s Culinary Hub, said her interest in culinary creativity and youth development inspired the initiative.
She described the festival as an extension of both platforms’ efforts to promote Nigerian flavours and create opportunities for young people in the sector.
The convener added that bringing together participants from the culinary and creative industries would encourage collaboration and cultural exchange.
With Nigerian cuisine attracting growing interest, she said young chefs needed more platforms to demonstrate their abilities and earn recognition.
