Rebecca Ejifoma
For some, salivating the meal is just a perfect starter ahead of the demolition of that mountainous plate of food. Whereas others have continued to find a way to express their unflinching love for quality cooking through commendations, daily food quotes, and photo splash of both local and international cuisine to keep their body and soul together.
This is because the rush of excitement that comes with tasty food is unmatched. From the inspiring recipes to the preparation through to the presentation, Kennedy Adetayo – a tech entrepreneur – sees food as his most essential companion. However, because he can’t go a day without demonstrating his feelings for good nosh, he saw the need to further communicate that love by appreciating passionate cooks and scrumptious food with the creation of a dedicated Instagram page, Ourfoodie_ng.
“About eight years ago, I wasn’t a fan of trying out different meals; I could call myself a proper foodie. I was always trying out different restaurants in Lagos,” he chuckled, adding that “I was always trying to see what else is interesting in menus. I took to the internet to search for more options.”
So, the first move Adetayo made was to follow a handful of food pages that speaks to his vision, amazing chefs, and most sought-after restaurants among several others just to quench that thirst. It soon metamorphosed to a point where he realised that it was indeed a challenge if he had to do this religiously daily.
“I thought of a way to aggregate all of that content in one place,” he thought to himself, a resolve that birthed Ourfoodie_ng. “For me, I took it judiciously and meticulously to make sure I post 10 to 20 pieces of content every day from different pages. Over time it grew into hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands and currently hundreds of thousands.”
Through his food page, he recognises and commends cooks and foods that are relatable, inspiring and fun. “Interestingly, I try to focus on cooks, people that are not professionals, especially for recipes. I believe that the best recipes come from homemade meals but also for high-quality content, I look to restaurants and professional chefs. So, a healthy mix of content makes it to my blog.
While he promotes these chefs and their creativity for free on his dedicated Instagram page, he describes his experience with chefs – local and international as utterly intriguing, shocking and eye-opening.
“I must say that I have had different kinds of experiences. I have had chefs and cooks confront me on why I posted their food content. They tell me, ‘You have more following. You’re getting likes and impressions on your page and not mine. Please take down the post. I have had people that appreciated it,” he narrated.
For the techpreneur, one beautiful benchmark of Ourfoodie_ng is that through his page, brands have evolved and expanded. He enthused, “I even get brands approaching me with their new products to serve as a food connoisseur then review it on my page.”
Although there is a notion that love is blind, Adetayo can see clearer than you can imagine. He is intentional about the hygiene of preparation and promotes creativity and distinction. That is why at Ourfoodie_ng, Adetayo not only displays an array of food, but also its availability, recipes, and ingredients used for each food.
Indeed, distance holds no determination like the innate cravings of a foodie. This is one reason that has spurred Adetayo to tour a handful of states across Nigeria. He has also voyaged to 10 African countries and has experimented with their local cuisines unfazed. “Coincidentally in Lagos now, restaurants are opening up almost every day. They are fantastic,” he reminisced.
“I make sure I go once in a while. Funny thing is that I do not wait for those restaurants to reach me or offer me free meals before I go because I like food naturally,” he enthused. “I just go and spend my money. Most of them do not realise I am the brand they have always adored until I left. They then reach out to me for a more wholesome experience.”
