Chaos, pressure and all the kitchen madness aside, being a chef has to be one of the most adventurous and interesting jobs out there. The ability to mix things up and come up with amazing dishes that are not only good to look at but also give you wild.. wild.. Satisfaction, is indeed a superpower and we just have to agree that Chefs are Superheros.
This week, we are going to be celebrating a man who has literally served mouth watering and palette titillating dishes, graced our TV screen with his cute boy next door look and his sweet personality. Chef and ex Big Brother Nigeria contestant Miyonse is our Spice MCM of the week.
If you were given the opportunity to move to any other African country, where will it be? And Why?
I consider myself to be a global citizen, as such i would love to explore beyond the shores of Nigeria and take my crafts and skills to the World. I would choose Ghana or South Africa because the people there are hospitable and the ease of doing business there is more relaxed.
What is the modern kitchen gadget you couldn’t live without?
An Oven
Do you ever have time to cook for your family and friends? If yes, when last did that happen and what did you prepare?
I have not had time to cook for my family like I really want to. But recently, I made T-bone steak for them because it had been a while I cooked for them. They were really excited about it.
What is your idea of an amazing, yet easy to prepare brunch menu?
My idea of an amazing brunch is simple; but complex in its simplicity. When we talk about brunch, we are looking at waffles and chicken, pancakes, breakfast toast, hash brown amongst other things. What would make it perfect is giving this ordinary food a new twist.
What are some of the challenges you have faced in your business and what suggestions could you give to fix these problems?
I transcended being a Chef to being an entrepreneur. One of the major challenge most entrepreneurs like myself face is capital; It takes a lot to convince people to back your ideas. However things are getting better in recent times, aspiring entrepreneurs can leverage on online crowdfunding platforms like Go fund me or Kick starter, or apply for grants to promote their initiatives and take the business to the next level.
Was your family in support of you becoming a chef? How did you break the news to them?
When I left the university everyone expected me to take up a white collar job but then I decided to focus on my passion. I went to a culinary school instead. My brother and sister were super supportive of me becoming a chef. When I finally told my parents about my decision, they supported my pursuit and prayed for me.
What would you consider to be the highlight of your career thus far?
I would say when I assumed the position of Head Chef at the restaurant I used to work in before I went into the house.
Asides the obvious, what else do you equally enjoy doing?
I love writing. I am a trained Journalist. I also love watching and playing football. Lastly, I like making people happy.
You have partnered with some really talented people, who would you say you enjoyed working with the most?
Myself (laughs). I have worked with super talented people such as Chef Stone, Chef Shuby, Chef Zee and Chef Hurlar amongst other great people. They all have unique personalities and I would love to work with them any time.
What is feminism to you?
Feminism has to do with equality of rights for both genders. However, I am strongly of the opinion that opportunities should be given based on merit and deservingness not because you are a man or a woman.
What is the best part of being a famous chef?
(laughs) Really! I do not consider myself famous so I don’t even know how to answer this question. But the good thing about being a Chef will definitely be knowing your wife is a lucky woman.
Who is your culinary superhero? And why?
My Sister. I got my first kitchen training from her. She taught me how to make stew and soups. She is also very critical of my cooking. Another person is Chef Stone. I have learnt so much from him. God bless both of them.
What do you think is the best approach to containing world hunger?
The most ideal way to containing world hunger is to discourage Food Wastage. Africa produces enough food to feed the whole continent, however, the flaws in our food supply chain make 40% of food produced go to waste. In order to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero hunger in Africa, Food manufacturers and suppliers in africa should donate unused and excess food or products approaching their best-before dates to Food recovery banks, destitute etc. Lawmakers in developing countries should also implement a food donors encouragement bill into law, this will help to institutionalize food donation and create compliance standards on recovery and redistribution of food towards addressing hunger.
How is life after Big Brother?
Life after Big Brother has been amazing, stressful and challenging. A lot of pressure comes with being a public figure. And trying to manage this new life and fully step into the shoes.
At what point did you decide to become a professional chef?
I always liked the idea of cooking for people but I didn’t think of being a professional chef. While I was in the university, my friends tasted my food and just encouraged me to do something with my cooking. After I graduated, I enrolled into Red Dish Chronicles where I was trained as a Chef.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Miyonse Oluwaseyi Amosu. I hail from Lagos State, Badagry to be Precise. I am the last born in a family of four. I graduated from the University of Lagos. After then, I enrolled into Red Dish Chronicles Culinary School. I became a Culinary Instructor at Red dish before I became the Sous Chef at L’Italiano, an Italian restaurant. I later became the Head Chef before I went into the Big brother house. I enjoy doing things that positively affect the lives of people. I want to own a foundation at some point to cater for the needs of the less privilege.
Flash Segment
Your answer has to be just one word. P.s “no” and “both” don’t count as an answer
- Chocolate or fruit cake? – Fruit Cake
- RnB or Soul? RnB
- Football or basket ball? Football
- Bright or dark colors? Bright colors
- Romance or Thriller? Romance
