Billionaire Chef, Toni Eros Tells African Food Story, One Course At A Time In ‘Eko Re’

Harrison IYOHA

The biggest and largest culinary exposition is set to take place in a picturesque setting of whimsical displays of zesty culinary techniques, gastronomic intelligence, musical entertainment and storytelling curated by popular Lagos chef, Tolu Eros, aka The Billionaire chef, exclusively for the finest palettes and connoisseurs. 

This festival of palettes called ”Eko Re”, loosely translated as “‘This is Lagos” is a passionate tale of African cuisine, composed and curated in a 7-course tasting experience by Nigeria’s foremost international chef, using food as his preferred channel of expression, guaranteed to leave diners mesmerised, as part of his first holiday to the United States since the 2020 pandemic.

The Billionaire Chef and 1952 x Africa (An accelerator of African art, culture and history), have set aside June 2021 – August 2021 to entice only the most discerning foodies from the coasts of Los Angeles to New York, to join his summer holiday tour and share a one-time-only, unusual and unforgettable culinary experience, celebrating African Royalty.

Chef Eros’ menu boasts of authentic West African flavours – a royal selection celebrating life and the future, resplendent with Yaji, a spicy and nutty mix speciality of the Hausas used in making the popular street food called Suya; Ewa, made from honey beans (oloyin) and  indigenous to the Togolese and Beninese people of Western Africa; Egusi, a soup made from melon seeds and a staple with the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria; Pepper Soup, made from a collection of African spices such as ataiko, uda and gbafilo, popularly eaten across Western Africa at beer parlors, weddings and on cold rainy days; Asaro, native to the Yoruba kingdom is made as a fluffy puree, Jollof Rice, a classic tomato-based rice with massive regional significance across West Africa and Zobo, made from African ruby dried sorrel leaves also known as “Yakwan Zobo” in the Hausa land of Nigeria, traditionally made into a hot drink that’s transferred into a clay pot to cool. For this special occasion, the inimitable Chef Eros has converted the piquant Zobo beverage into a delicious gel that will serve as a body of flavour to the final dessert course.

Founder and Executive Chef of Chef Eros and Co-owners of ILE Eros Restaurant in Lagos, Cookie Jar Bakery and other food ventures in Nigeria, Chef Eros says: “As an African who is proud of my heritage, our history and culture remains untold and as such, it has become my life’s work to tell my African food story, one course at a time”.