Olatunji oyindamola
Professional Chef · Oshodi-Isolo
4–7 years cooking experiencePersonal information
- Full name
- Olatunji oyindamola
- Location
- Oshodi-Isolo
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 30
- Phone
- 09123373986
- oyinmomo90@gmail.com
- Residential address
- No 2, olawoyin street ilasamaja Lagos
- Social handles
- My food by M.O
Applicant profile
- Applicant type
- Professional Chef
- Applicant type other
- —
- Current occupation
- Self employed
- Cooking experience
- 4–7 years
Competition experience
- Prior competitions
- Yes
- Competition details
- Moremi hall university of Lagos cooking competition 2023 overall winner
Sponsored by power oil
Competition readiness
- Available throughout competition
- Yes
Entrepreneurship and impact
- Runs a food business
- Yes
- Business name
- Myfoodbym.o
- Business type
- catering and food delivery business
- Years in operation
- Three years
- Business challenge
- One of the biggest challenges I’m looking to overcome is limited exposure and opportunities to test myself in a more competitive culinary environment.
Running my food business has taught me a lot about cooking, catering, managing orders, and serving customers, but I know there is still so much more for me to learn.
I believe this competition will push me outside my comfort zone, help me learn from other talented cooks, improve my techniques, and build more confidence in my abilities.
Most importantly, I want to challenge myself to see just how far my passion and creativity can take me.
Culinary journey
It all started after COVID-19, when school was placed on an indefinite break. I had a lot of time on my hands, and I wanted to make that time meaningful, so I got a job at FoodCo Nigeria as a Quality Control Officer.
During my time there, I was moved to the bakery, but I wanted to develop a more practical and meaningful skill during my working hours. Whenever I finished my scheduled duties for the day, I would go into the kitchen to offer a helping hand and, more importantly, learn how to cook.
What started as simply wanting to learn a skill gradually became something I genuinely enjoyed and became passionate about.
I continued working there until the lockdown restrictions were lifted and ASUU called off the strike. I then returned to school, and shortly after, my school organized a cooking competition. I decided to participate, and to my surprise and delight, I emerged as the overall winner.
The competition was sponsored by Power Oil and judged by some of the biggest names in the Nigerian culinary space, including Africa's renowned food critic Opeyemi Famakin, Guinness World Record holder Hilda Baci, and Chef Rej, founder of Bernadine’s Bistro and a culinary consultant.
Winning that competition was a major turning point for me. It gave me the confidence to take my passion for cooking more seriously and reminded me that something I started simply to make good use of my time could actually become a meaningful part of my journey.
Cooking inspiration
What inspires my cooking is the joy of creating something that brings people together. I’m inspired by flavours, creativity, culture, and the excitement of turning simple ingredients into something memorable. Seeing people genuinely enjoy what I’ve prepared is what makes cooking even more meaningful to me.
Signature dish
My signature dish is Coconut Rice I love how versatile it is, and I’ve perfected mine to have that rich, creamy coconut flavour without being overly sweet. I pair it with well-seasoned chicken, turkey, prawns, or other sides depending on the occasion. It’s one of those dishes that always gets people asking for seconds!
Why I want to participate
I want to participate because I see this as an opportunity to grow, learn, and take my passion for cooking to the next level. Cooking started as something I picked up during a period when I simply wanted to make good use of my time, but it has grown into something I genuinely love.
I also want to challenge myself, learn from other talented people, showcase my creativity, and gain experiences that will help me become a better chef and build my culinary journey.
What winning would mean
Winning would mean so much more than just taking home a prize. It would be a validation of how far I’ve come from learning in a kitchen simply to make good use of my time to becoming someone who is genuinely passionate about cooking.
It would give me the confidence and motivation to keep growing, push my creativity further, and show me that the journey I started years ago is worth pursuing. Most importantly, it would be an opportunity to inspire others to take their passions seriously, no matter how they started.
