Folasade Ayodele
Culinary Student · Lagos Mainland
8+ years cooking experiencePersonal information
- Full name
- Folasade Ayodele
- Location
- Lagos Mainland
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 35
- Phone
- 08052762065
- oluwatoyinfolasade@gmail.com
- Residential address
- 6, Olalekan Ogunjobi street, Havana Estate, Arepo, Ogun State
- Social handles
- https://www.instagram.com/sadeayodele?igsi=NjZxZGpraDNoZTcy
Applicant profile
- Applicant type
- Culinary Student
- Applicant type other
- —
- Current occupation
- Event Caterer
- Cooking experience
- 8+ years
Competition experience
- Prior competitions
- No
- Competition details
- —
Competition readiness
- Available throughout competition
- Yes
Entrepreneurship and impact
- Runs a food business
- Yes
- Business name
- Cakedom and Prime Catering Services
- Business type
- Food & Beverage/ Catering & Culinary Services
- Years in operation
- 15+
- Business challenge
- Eko Flavours can help me overcome the challenge of limited exposure and access to opportunities. I have the passion, creativity, and willingness to learn, but I need a platform that can expose me to industry professionals, mentorship, and a wider audience. This opportunity would help me sharpen my skills, build my confidence, grow my food business, and move closer to my dream of becoming a recognized professional chef and culinary entrepreneur.
Culinary journey
“My culinary journey has been one of learning, unlearning, and relearning. One thing that has remained constant is my refusal to settle. I am always seeking new knowledge, refining my skills, and pushing myself to become a better chef.
Cooking inspiration
I’m inspired by the ability of food to create an experience and evoke emotions. I draw inspiration from our Nigerian culinary heritage, different cultures, ingredients, and even the people I cook for. Their reactions motivate me to keep learning, experimenting, and pushing myself to create food that is not only delicious but memorable.
Signature dish
My signature dish is called Co-Tain Pudding. It is a creative fusion of corn meal and overripe plantain, enriched with coconut milk, crayfish, chilli and butter, then wrapped in moi moi leaves and steamed until firm. I created it because I wanted to transform simple, familiar Nigerian ingredients into something unique, flavourful and comforting. It’s a dish that represents my love for creativity, tradition and innovation in cooking.
Why I want to participate
I want to participate in Eko Flavours because I see it as an opportunity to challenge myself, showcase my creativity, and share my unique interpretation of Nigerian cuisine. I’m passionate about transforming familiar ingredients into exciting and memorable dishes, while preserving the stories and flavours that make our food special. I also want to learn from other talented chefs, gain valuable exposure, and grow into a more confident and innovative culinary professional.
What winning would mean
Winning Eko Flavours would be a significant milestone in my culinary journey. It would give me the platform, exposure and credibility to showcase my creativity to a wider audience and open doors to new opportunities. More importantly, it would validate the years I’ve spent learning, experimenting and pushing myself to become a better chef. I would use the opportunity not just to grow my career, but to inspire others and continue creating innovative dishes that celebrate our Nigerian flavours and heritage.
