At Popcentral, we pride ourselves on making sense of the fast-evolving subcultures of pop culture in Nigeria and beyond. Recently, we sat down with Opeyemi Famakin, a food critic who’s been in the spotlight for various reasons. While he declined to respond to Chef Wu’s recent criticisms, he was eager to share details about his upcoming project: a collaboration with 100 chefs across Africa. Here’s what he had to say.
Famakin’s latest initiative is all about “Collaboration over Competition.” He believes there are many talented chefs who are only known within the food community but deserve wider recognition in the pop culture space. With his platform of over 500k followers, he aims to showcase these chefs and their culinary creations to a broader audience. “It’s not necessarily a case of me doing anybody a favor; it’s just a case of Naija/African food to the world,” he explained.
Selecting chefs for this project will be a personal endeavor for Famakin. He will choose those whose content he genuinely enjoys and who are good storytellers. In 2024, he believes that being a great cook isn’t enough; chefs also need to be able to tell compelling stories.
Through this collaboration, Famakin hasn’t encountered any unique cooking techniques or ingredients that surprised him yet. As a seasoned food critic, he feels he’s seen it all. The goal of the content is to engage Nigerian foodies and those interested in food, rather than catering to food experts.
Famakin doesn’t have a specific goal for how this project will influence the perception of African cuisine. He simply wants to have fun with 100 chefs and showcase their talents to the world. “If it blows, beautiful; if it doesn’t, at least we had fun doing it,” he said. His aim is for everyone to put their best foot forward and enjoy the process.
To ensure the stories and heritage behind each dish are accurately represented, Famakin will provide the chefs with a brief and ensure they follow set guidelines. One dish he feels deserves more global recognition is Fisherman soup, purely out of personal bias and a love for the dish. He acknowledges that the concept of the “best food” is subjective, but he has a particular fondness for this soup.
Famakin sees food as a powerful connector of cultures across Africa. It tells stories, preserves history, and highlights agricultural, artistic, and scientific traditions. For instance, he pointed out that many Africans don’t realize that almost all of them have a version of Egusi, known as Agushi in Ghana, though Nigerians often claim it as their own.
When asked about the most underrated African cuisines, Famakin quickly named Nigerian, Senegalese, and Moroccan food. Despite his Nigerian roots, he insists that these cuisines have rich flavors and stories that everyone needs to experience. He also gives a nod to Ghanaian cuisine.
Famakin shared a bold food experience, recalling the time he tried Bayelsa suya, also known as maggot suya. “Let’s just say when the cameras went off, I spat it out,” he admitted with a laugh. Despite his love for Bayelsa and its food, this particular dish didn’t win him over.
For those eager to follow his work and stay updated on the progress of his collaboration, Famakin cheekily suggests Googling “Biggest Food Critic in Nigeria” and following the person who comes up.
At Popcentral, we continue to bring you stories that matter, exploring the rich offering of African cuisine and the personalities shaping our food culture. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting collaboration and other stories from the dynamic world of Nigerian pop culture.
