Lagos unveils Eko Flavours to showcase local dishes, empower food vendors

The Lagos State Government has unveiled the Eko Flavours project, a transformative platform to showcase the state as the melting point of Nigeria, highlighting the culinary prowess of youths and local market food vendors.

Eko Flavours was introduced during a press conference by the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms Abiola Olusanya, on Friday at the Fresh Food Hub in Idi Oro, Mushin.

Olusanya stated that the Eko Flavours project, in partnership with the private sector, aims to transform food markets in Lagos State as part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s initiatives to improve the state’s food system.

She explained that Eko Flavours, designed as a culinary platform for food vendors and chefs to showcase their talent and engage with food enthusiasts, will be held annually, with the 2024 edition scheduled for August.

The Commissioner also emphasised the importance of organised markets across the state, noting that it would simplify the purchasing of food items and lead to lower prices, as demand could be measured and prices negotiated.

“The main aim of the Eko Flavours project, aside from engaging young culinary enthusiasts and food lovers, is to showcase Lagos as a transformative state when it comes to food experiences.

“We tend to focus on getting our food into the kitchen without understanding the logistics involved in production,” she said.

Olusanya added that the Eko Flavours project would highlight the cooking skills of various chefs in Lagos, with a display of diverse cultural dishes for residents.

She urged chefs with Lagos State Residents Registration Agency identification to register on the project’s dedicated website, www.ekoflavours.lagosfreshfoodhub.com, from 1 August to participate in the competition.

During the press conference, the Co-CEOs of Tantacom Group, Mrs Olufunke Adu and Mrs Jennifer Odufuwa, representing the Project Management Agency, assured that all participants would be adequately compensated with consolation prizes. They noted that the idea of Lagos Flavours is to encourage unity among the various ethnicities and tribes with their distinct cooking skills and dishes, recognising Lagos as the melting point of diversity in the country.

Adu said the Eko Flavours project was designed to discover talent and bring together upcoming chefs, enthusiasts, and cooking lovers to engage with the community, providing a platform for foodies in the state to explore various cuisines and showcase their skills.

She said, “The website for the competition will open on 1 August for registration, and on 5 August, residents are expected to vote for their favourites. By 9 August, the top 50 most engaged content posted on the website will be given vouchers to buy fresh food items at the Mushin Fresh Food Hub, which they will then cook.

“Thereafter, the best 20 chefs will be invited to the food hub to compete, and the top five will be selected for the final on 31 August.”

Odufuwa stated that the winner of Lagos Flavours will be crowned Eko Flavours Champion Ambassador for one year and will receive a N5 million cash reward, an award plaque, a one-year supply of free products, a N200,000 shopping voucher for the Mushin Fresh Food Hub, a certificate of achievement, and a winner’s trophy.

According to her, the first runner-up will receive a N3 million cash prize, a six-month supply of products, a N100,000 shopping voucher, a certificate of achievement, and an award plaque.

She added that the second runner-up will receive N1 million, a three-month supply of products, a N50,000 shopping voucher, a certificate of achievement, and an award plaque, while the fourth and fifth positions will also win cash prizes.

“Just post a cooking vlog on your social media handle and tag us. The content with the highest interaction with likes and comments will be among the 50 chefs to be selected.

“From the 50, we will pick the best 20 who will participate in the quarterfinals and semi-final stages, where the winner, first, and second runner-up will emerge. All contenders will be judged on taste, cleanliness, time management, and presentation,” she said.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, Mr Emmanuel Audu, urged players in the food ecosystem to take full advantage of Eko Flavours, which he said has the potential to launch participants into the global limelight.