Samuel Ruth Oluwabunmi
Home Cook · Shomolu
8+ years cooking experiencePersonal information
- Full name
- Samuel Ruth Oluwabunmi
- Location
- Shomolu
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 23
- Social handles
- Instagram: ruth_ie41
Applicant profile
- Applicant type
- Home Cook
- Applicant type other
- Food Enthusiasts
- Current occupation
- Nutritionist
- Cooking experience
- 8+ years
Competition experience
- Prior competitions
- Yes
- Competition details
- I was Selected as a contestant on Delicious or Disaster cooking show, where I challenged myself to create innovative dishes using African ingredients while working under pressure. The experience strengthened my creativity, confidence, adaptability and passion for showcasing African cuisine.
Competition readiness
- Available throughout competition
- Yes
Entrepreneurship and impact
- Runs a food business
- No
- Business name
- —
- Business type
- —
- Years in operation
- —
- Business challenge
- One challenge I would love Eko Flavours to help me overcome is the limitation of resources and exposure as I build my culinary career. I have a strong passion for creating nutritious, culturally inspired dishes, but I want to learn how to turn that passion into something bigger and more impactful. Eko Flavours would give me the opportunity to gain mentorship, confidence, industry exposure, and the resources to refine my skills, tell my food story, and bring my vision of connecting nutrition with culinary creativity to life
Culinary journey
My culinary journey began from a love for cooking and a deep curiosity about how food can nourish, connect and create memorable experiences. Over the years, I have developed my skills through years of hands on cooking, online culinary training, experimentation and participation in food-related competitions. My background in Nutrition has further shaped my approach to cooking, allowing me to combine creativity, flavour and nutrition. Today, I am passionate about reinventing African dishes, exploring indigenous ingredients and creating meals that are both delicious and nourishing. My journey continues to be driven by a desire to put African cuisine on bigger platforms while showing that healthy food can also be exciting and beautiful.
Cooking inspiration
My biggest inspiration is the richness of African food culture and the endless possibilities hidden in our indigenous ingredients. I am inspired by the memories, stories and traditions attached to food, as well as the opportunity to transform familiar ingredients into something innovative. My background in nutrition also inspires me to create meals that are not only delicious but nourishing and purposeful. I love experimenting with ingredients, textures and flavours to prove that nutritious food does not have to be boring
Signature dish
My signature dish is Bambara Nut Milk Stir-Fried Rice, a creative fusion of African heritage and modern culinary techniques. I developed the dish using Bambara nut milk as a unique nutritional and flavour component, incorporating it into stir-fried rice to create a dish that is rich, satisfying and distinctly African. Bambara nut is an indigenous African legume with valuable nutritional qualities, and I wanted to showcase its versatility beyond its traditional uses. This dish represents creativity rooted in African food culture and passionate about making nutritious food exciting.
Why I want to participate
I want to participate because I am ready to take my culinary journey to the next level and showcase what is possible when African cuisine, creativity and nutrition comes together. I have learnt to look at food beyond taste, to understand its nutritional value, cultural significance and potential to improve lives. As a food enthusiast I want to use this platform to challenge myself, learn from other talented culinary professionals and introduce more people to the richness and versatility of African ingredients. I believe this competition is an opportunity to tell my story through food, represent African cuisine with pride and grow into the culinary professional I aspire to become.
What winning would mean
Winning would mean more than a title to me, it would be a powerful validation of my journey, creativity and vision. It would give me a bigger platform to showcase African cuisine and demonstrate that food can be both deeply rooted in culture and innovative, nutritious and globally relevant. It would also open doors for me to grow my culinary career, inspire other young African chefs, Food enthusiasts and continue building a bridge between nutrition and the culinary world. Most importantly, winning would remind me that the ingredients, stories and traditions we have at home are worthy of being celebrated on the biggest stages
