Adejoké Bakare
Adejoké Bakare | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kaduna State |
| Education | Kaduna State University |
| Years active | 2019–current |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | West African |
Rating(s)
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Current restaurant(s) | |
Award(s) won
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Adejoké "Joké" Bakare is a British Nigerian-born chef specialising in West African cuisine. Largely self taught, in 2024, she became the first Black woman in the United Kingdom to be awarded a Michelin-star. Later that year, she was named Chef of the Year at the National Restaurant Awards.
Biography
Early life
Bakare was born and grew up in Kaduna, Nigeria. Her mother is of Yoruba ancestry and her father is Igbo, which exposed her to a variety of cultural influences growing up.[1] While studying biomedical sciences at Kaduna State University, she supported herself by running a fish-and-chips cart.[2]
In 1999, she moved to the United Kingdom to study.[3] While working in various fields including property management, Bakare continued her interest in and love of cooking. A self-taught chef, she operated a street food van outside her church, and later hosted supper clubs, sharing her interest in west African cuisine.[3][4]
In 2019, her friends encouraged her to enter the Brixton Kitchen cooking competition, where the grand prize was a three month pop up shop in Brixton Village.[2] To her surprise, Bakare won the competition in the amateur category.[5][6]
Chishuru
In September 2020, Bakare opened Chishuru, a pop-up restaurant in Brixton, London specialising in modern West African cuisine.[7][8][9][5][10][6] In 2022, Chishuru was named London's Best Restaurant by Time Out Magazine.[11]
Chishuru would appear in several other popup locations across London, before outgrowing their Brixton site. In September 2023, Bakare and Chishuru settled in Fitzrovia.[7][6] In November 2023, food critic Charlotte Ivers's positive review of Chishuru brought increased attention to the restaurant.[12]
On 5 February 2024, Chishuru and head chef Bakare were awarded a Michelin-star.[13] With the recognition, Bakare became the first black woman in the United Kingdom to become a Michelin-starred chef.[7][8][9] She would become the second black woman in the world to be awarded a Michelin star after France's Georgiana Viou, who was awarded a Michelin star in 2023.[14]
In June 2024, Bakare was named "Chef of the Year" at Time Out's National Restaurant Awards.[15]
References
- ^ "Adejoké Bakare, Chef at Chishuru - Great British Chefs". www.greatbritishchefs.com. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ a b "Meet chef Adejoké 'Joké' Bakare, whose West African menu scored a Michelin nod". The Globe and Mail. 2024-08-14. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ a b Prynn, Josh Barrie, Jonathan (2024-02-05). "West African restaurant Chishuru wins first Michelin star". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Barrie, Josh (2020-09-08). "The amateur cook who has opened her first restaurant serving modern West African cuisine". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ a b Urban, Mike (2019-04-10). "Brixton Village announces winners of the 2019 Brixton Kitchen competition". Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ a b c restaurantonline.co.uk (2023-08-23). "Chishuru to open in Fitzrovia next month". restaurantonline.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ a b c Gohil, Neha (2024-02-06). "UK's first black female Michelin-starred chef: 'We're at the forefront of west African food'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ a b "Adejoké Bakare, Chef at Chishuru - Great British Chefs". www.greatbritishchefs.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ a b Sutherland, Callum (2024-02-09). "Chishuru: Nigerian chef Adejoké Bakare makes history with Michelin star for her London restaurant". CNN. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ Hansen, James (2022-08-22). "Brilliant Brixton Restaurant Chishuru Will Pop Up in Farringdon This Autumn". Eater London. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ Fenn, Georgie (2024-02-26). "Interview: Joké Bakare, Michelin Star winner". Best of South West LDN. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ Ivers, Charlotte (2023-11-19). "Chishuru: Chishuru restaurant: Charlotte Ivers's first five-star review". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ Sutherland, Callum (2024-02-09). "Nigerian chef makes history with Michelin star for her London restaurant". CNN. Retrieved 2025-02-26.
- ^ "Self taught Beninese chef Georgiana Viou awarded Michelin Guide star". Africa News. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
- ^ Houghton, Amy (June 11, 2024). "National Restaurant Awards 2024: full list of winning UK restaurants". Time Out.