THYME FOR CULINARY ARTS!!!

Heyyoooooooooo

Ayyyyyyyyyy!!!!

It’s a new week! Entering with a good spirit!

Last week was somewhat stressful.

STORYTIME!!!!

Long time ago (March 2020), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) went on a two weeks strike so we were asked to leave our hostels and go home. In my mind, I’m like “Yeah it’s only for two weeks, I’ll be back soon” so I left my clothes in school. Then Corona happened, then the lockdowns upon lockdowns, yadi yadi yada.

Long story cut extra short, I went to school last week to finally get my clothes since ASUU and the government seem to be toying with my BSc. And y’all if you see my locker 😭. Those rats definitely had a fun time with my stuff.

Wait wait, that’s not even the worse part. I don’t understand if I offended anybody because “Why did the washing machine have to spoil around this time??!?!?!?!?!”.

Due to the fact that I’m obsessed with every single one of my possessions, I couldn’t sit and watch my clothes in such awful state, besides I was born before washing machine! THOSE CLOTHES GOT NOTHING ON ME (I thought) so I took it upon myself to wash every single one of them myself which took me exactly 4 days. 4 consecutive days of washing!!! Mind you, each day was like 2-4 hours, something like that. Anywayssss, I tried! I deserve to be recognized for such noble act of humility, perseverance and hardwork!

Ib, focus! The people want to get to the food part.

Oh right, so according to the topic, it’s thyme for culinary arts! Those who have no idea on cooking will probably not get my pun but anywho! Our guest today is a friend of mine, amazing in the kitchen, I tell you. Once she ties that apron, Gbam! Your stomach will be blessed!

Not wasting anymore time, introducing our guest 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Q/A

1. Tell us more about yourself and why you decided that you want to be a chef?

Zoe: My name is Zoe Erika-Okoye
I’m 18 and I’m a chef ☺️
I’ve always loved food; cooking it, eating it, smelling it, bathing in it
So it was only right I picked a profession to honour it.

2. Are there any setbacks leading to this moment, that you thought, “No, I can’t do this”?

Zoe: Yesssssssss! A whole lot
The pressure from people, meeting expectations, perfecting a recipe (this is the fun part). I had a catering gig last year and the grill I outsourced on didn’t show up until the MC started the closing prayer.
I remember hiding behind a palm tree and crying.

3. Has anyone ever criticized your choice of career? What’s it like for you?

Zoe: I think more people realise now that it’s the passion that matters.
I still get those ignorant comments like ‘just a chef?’ ‘You can only do that on the side’ ‘that’s not a real job’.
People are going to criticise anyway, just filter and move on.

4. What’s your take on organic foods?

Zoe: Organic foods… hmmmmmmm
Thank you for this question, it’s a very important question…

5. Is there honestly a way to eat a lot of food and still get that perfect body shape?

Zoe: Omo 😂😂😂😂😂
You either have the genes or you don’t.

6. To you, what’s the most important meal of the day and why?

Zoe: You know that snack you always have after lunch but before dinner? That’s the most important ‘meal’ of the day.
With that, you eat a very light dinner although you may snack again by 11pm.

7. Who are your role models or the people you look up to in the culinary industry?

Zoe: Chef Imoteda (HITC)
Chef Stone (Red Dish)
Chef Fregene

8. You try a new recipe and it doesn’t turn out good, what will you do?

Zoe: Easy, turn it into something else
I can’t tell you then number of ‘signature creations’ I’ve made that are actually just failed recipes 😂.
I was trying to make gooey fudge brownies one day and it didn’t work out, I just made chocolate mousse and turned it to pudding 😂.

9. Name 3 ingredients you consciously avoid or eliminate while trying recipes?

Zoe: NUTMEG!!!!!!!!
Curry and thyme

10. A lot of chefs say “Cooking is much more deeper to them, than just preparing a meal”, does that apply to you as well?

Zoe: Yes, cooking is an art.
It’s the same way an artist feels about his works. It’s creation, you’re bringing an idea (recipe) to life

11. Do you prepare meals off a cookbook or are you more of a spontaneous type in the kitchen?

Zoe: Sometimes I start with a recipe and just add twists as I go, Other times I just combine a bunch of ingredients together.
I don’t think I’ve ever followed a recipe word for word.

12. Have you ever been in a situation where your food flopped on a very important day?

Zoe: Yes i haveee 😭😭😭😭😭. The tears!!!
I made Oha soup, 10 litres, for a client two months ago. The lady was meant to pick it up that same day so I left it out to cool a bit before packing it up in the cooler. She said she was going to send someone to pick it up when it was already getting late so I stayed up waiting for her. She didn’t pick it up that night and by the time I woke up the next morning the soup had already started to turn. I had to heat it up and thicken it again 😭😭😭😭
She didn’t come to pick it up until later that night
It was a really traumatic experience for me cause I like everything perfect.

13. What is your favorite meal?

Zoe: I don’t have a favorite meal but I really like Amala.

14. Trick question, While eating, do you believe that you have to eat the meat or fish or chicken alongside the main meal or when you finish?

Zoe: In a formal setting you’re actually meant to finish every portion on your plate at the same time. But meeeeeeeeee, I like to save the best for last. I don’t even like putting protein on my plate when I’m serving. I eat all the other classes, then I settle down with my chicken/ proteins.

15. Another trick question, do you pour cereal into milk or cereal first and then milk?

Zoe: What kind of demon pours the milk first 😭😭😭😭😭. You measure the milk with the cereal! You have to pour the milk quickly and start eating immediately so the cereal doesn’t get soggy. Simple!

16. What kinds of food should a person who is looking to loose weight eat?

Zoe: Sissssssss, If I knew 😭😭😭😭
I’m not a nutritionist but for people trying to lose weight, you have to know why you’re gaining weight in the first place. Is it stress eating, hormones (birth control and the morning after pill will make you gain weight), your greed, genes. Once you’ve discovered the cause you can start doing proper research!
Generally, just avoid sugars, refined carbs and trans fats

17. What is your dream/vision? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Zoe: In 5 years I’ll be 23.
I better be financially stable by then. I’m delving into so many things so it’s really hard to answer this question, plus I really don’t think that far 😂. I focus on realising my goals for the future in the moment.
Example: some people say they’d have bought/built their first house by the time they’re 25; me, I’m buying my first apartment next year. Others, it’s a car by 22, a family by 28, a stable job by 20.
I want all that now.

18. Tell us about an out of the blue recipe you’ve made?

Zoe: Well, I had friends over sometime last year but I didn’t have anything to serve them. I had potatoes, eggs, cream and peppers. So I cut the potatoes very thinly, chopped the peppers and mixed it in with the eggs and cream. I used the potatoes as a bed for the eggs and cream mix and baked it.
Basically I made quiche suitable for people with coeliac.

19. What kind of dishes would be served at your restaurant?

Zoe: I think I’d have a food fusion in my restaurant. So foods from the most articulate spice countries in the world;
India, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Yemen.

20. Any final words to anyone out there with the same passion as you but doesn’t know where to start or is just completely terrified?

Zoe: Start small and don’t let anyone pressurise you into going large scale. It’s your practice, ensure you’re the one making the decisions, not anyone else, cause when it starts to feel like a chore that’s the end.

Alright y’all! You’ve heard from “ze Chef!”,

Only a demon pours milk before cereal!

Stop taking sugar and carbs if you wanna lose weight!!!

I remember when I used to like lick sugar in secondary school, my friends hated me for it. I would just put my spoon in the jar and just lick the hell out of it. Then I transitioned to milk. They used to give us these little Dano sachets and cause I don’t really like bread especially with just butter or jam, I used to exchange half of my bread for a sachet of milk. I could lick like 5-10 sachets in a day but guess what?

I still lick milk once in a while though, hoping my Lord performs some kinda miracle.

Anyways guysss, hope you enjoyed reading this post I definitely enjoyed having Zoe on hereeee!!! If you’d love to speak with her or just follow her, then her social media handles are down below! ⬇️

Instagram
@cookingwzozo
@timilehin.eo
@artwzozo

Twitter
@Okoye_Zoe

Snapchat
timi.lehin

Also don’t forget to follow me on Instagram at _itsib.

Till next week, drops ink!