Samiat opayomi
Food Content Creator · Agege
1–3 years cooking experiencePersonal information
- Full name
- Samiat opayomi
- Location
- Agege
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 20
- Phone
- 09069703934
- samiatlabake@gmail.com
- Residential address
- Davol junction, Ota, Ogun state
- Social handles
- CookwithSammy7
Applicant profile
- Applicant type
- Food Content Creator
- Applicant type other
- —
- Current occupation
- Student
- Cooking experience
- 1–3 years
Competition experience
- Prior competitions
- No
- Competition details
- —
Competition readiness
- Available throughout competition
- Yes
Entrepreneurship and impact
- Runs a food business
- No
- Business name
- —
- Business type
- —
- Years in operation
- —
- Business challenge
- One of the biggest challenges I’m currently trying to overcome is financial limitation and visibility. I have a lot of ideas and a strong passion for cooking, but turning those ideas into reality requires resources that I don’t always have access to.
I’m also still trying to get my work seen by the right people. I believe Eko Flavours could give me the exposure, connections and platform I need to showcase my creativity beyond my current audience.
For me, it would be an opportunity to not only learn and grow, but also to get closer to building the food career and business I envision for myself.
Culinary journey
My culinary journey started from a simple love for food and gradually grew into a passion for creativity in the kitchen. I enjoy taking familiar Nigerian foods and giving them a fresh, unexpected twist while still keeping their original identity.
From experimenting with dishes like ewa agoyin, masa burgers, akara and bread fusions, puff-puff creations, jollof rice and Afro-fusion meals, I have learned that cooking is not just about following recipes—it is about experimenting, storytelling and creating experiences through food.
I am currently exploring food content creation and documenting my growth as a young Nigerian cook. My goal is to continue learning, experimenting and developing a unique culinary voice that celebrates Nigerian food while presenting it in exciting new ways.
Cooking inspiration
My biggest inspiration to cook is my mum. Growing up, watching her prepare meals and seeing how much love and care she put into feeding our family made me appreciate food beyond just eating it. It showed me that food can be a way of expressing love, bringing people together and creating memories.
As I grew older, that inspiration developed into my own passion for cooking. I became curious about experimenting with flavours, reinventing familiar Nigerian dishes and creating something that feels uniquely mine. Today, I cook because I love the creativity that comes with it, but a big part of that love started with watching my mum in the kitchen..
Signature dish
My signature dish is Ewa Agoyin, a beloved Nigerian bean dish that I have made my own through the way I prepare and present it. I love the combination of creamy, well-seasoned beans with a deeply fried, smoky pepper sauce packed with flavour.
What makes my version special is my focus on bold flavour and presentation while staying true to the Nigerian roots of the dish. I also enjoy experimenting with how Ewa Agoyin can be served and incorporated into modern food creations, showing that a traditional Nigerian dish can be both familiar and exciting.
Why I want to participate
I want to participate because I see the Eko flavors Challenge as an opportunity to step outside my comfort zone, challenge my creativity and grow as a young cook and food content creator.
I want to showcase my love for Nigerian food and my passion for giving familiar dishes a fresh and creative twist. I also hope to learn from other talented participants, gain exposure and build confidence in my culinary journey.
Most importantly, I want to use this opportunity to show that great culinary ideas can come from anywhere, and that a young person with passion, creativity and limited resources can still create something worth remembering.
What winning would mean
Winning would mean so much more to me than just receiving a prize. It would be a validation of how far I have come and a reminder that my creativity, passion and willingness to keep learning can actually take me somewhere.
As a young aspiring cook and food content creator, I am still building my skills and finding my voice. Winning would give me the confidence, exposure and resources to take my culinary journey more seriously and turn some of the ideas I have into reality.
Most importantly, it would be a beautiful way to honour where my love for cooking began—with my mum—and to prove to myself that I can create something meaningful from a passion that started in our home kitchen.
