What do you do for a living
TV Enterprise. I run a TV production company and present my own show.
Most people describe you in superlative forms; does that flatter you?
l am not easily flattered, l respect people's admiration of my person especially my work but l have my feet firmly planted on terra firma.
What are your future dreams?
Less dreams and more goals, Watch it all unfolding.
As a Nigerian celebrity, what are your three favorite Nigerian meals?
I do not like to be thought of as a celebrity, it is the creation of a vacous new world. As a Nigerian, l like dodo and beans, amala, gbegiri and ewedu, okro, eba and fresh fish soup.
Do you cook any of these meals?
l can cook them all but l am usually too busy to cook.
Is there one food you could never give up?
There is nothing l cannot give up if the reasons are compelling, l do not like anything to control me. That said, l would be hard put to stop eating dodo.
How did you learn to cook, and how much do you enjoy cooking?
By trial and error, l lost my mother young so l didn’t get the tutoring, my father did the cooking, my brothers and l did the burning until we perfected each dish. As an adult, the internet is a great resource; l get ingredients and l look up recipes and do them. l am also a great fan of the BBC food channel as well as the UK Times' food segments and food critic AA Gill. Pity we don’t have Nigerian equivalent yet.
Does your choice profession allow you to cook often?
As it happens with being at the top of your game with any profession, time to cook is a major challenge but l truly love good food so l train my support staff to cook just the way l like it.
Do you share the view point that the way to a man's heart is his stomach?
l have never been a man so l would not know. l find men who expect to be waited on a major turn off. Cooking is a social skill, l expect all humans as social animal to be able to cook to a certain degree. l find an accomplished man in a kitchen totally enlightened and thus very attractive.
Do you have a specific diet routine?
l have never dieted, l find dieting self defeating except if one is very obese and needs to lose a lot of weight. My metabolism is very high and l have always been a driven active person so l like to eat well and often but with age l have learnt to eat my food in the freshest, homemade, whole way possible. l hardly eat processed food or fat food. l like to sit down to a well cooked delicious meal at home or in a good restaurant limiting nothing. I eat crabs, proteins, good fat, nuts, fruits and vegetables as well as healthier snacks.
What new dishes have you experimented on how to cook?
l am determined to get the Spanish sea food paella right. it is such a comforting meal.
What do you think should be in an ideal kitchen, must – haves for any woman?
Any human who eats and should thus cook should consider an effective extractor (even a fabricated rudimentary one), l hate cooking smells which can be sometimes nauseous.
If you could invite anyone to dine with you, who would it be?
Tina Turner, Asa, 9ice and Ellen Degeneres
What are your drinking preferences…any special wine?
Chilean Merlot, Vintage Port or a Mojito
What bearing does your upbringing have on your cooking and eating preferences?
My mother was a caterer and never fed me junk food in the time she lived; my early memories are of fresh fish and crab soups with ogbono and vegetables. Good comforting homely cooking always reminds me of my mother and assures me that all will be well.
What is the recipe of your best food? (Please write it out)
Okro and Fresh fish with Eba, these are some of the easiest Nigerian dishes, so shall l just say that l make the okro with a little bitter leaf and fresh scrimps, l am most fond of catfish and l buy well roasted garri-ijebu. l only season food with natural herbs and condiments.
Where and how do you shop for food?
l love markets, the colour and vibrancy but l don't have time to go to markets generally so l send my house keeper to Ketu for stables, l buy foreign vegetables from Opebi and VI, the rare ones l buy at Goodies supermarket. l also shamelessly import food, when l go to London or SA, l come back with cooler bags of natural yogurt, salmon, exotic pasta, dark chocolate, berries and other bits and bobs. I love Argan oil and dried seasoning from morocco.
What do you enjoy baking if you do?
l mostly buy my baked food, that said if l had more time l would enjoy it immensely as l am lactose intolerant and would have enjoyed discovering delicious substitutes.
Where would you go to eat if you decided to eat outside your house?
l eat out a lot, l like discovering new places and tastes. My favorite places in the world for eating out are London (sheer variety), New York (energy and experimentation) Paris (naturally) Cape Town (the wineries are divine and the food is fresh and reasonably priced), Morrocco (no where is lamb better treated). In Nigeria Abuja beats lagos for value Chez Victor, Wakkis and Al basha are brilliant. The best place to eat right now in Lagos is the sky restaurant of Eko Hotel and Yellow Chilli. Never forget that there is Amala at Shitta and Mama Eba in Onikan.
Does the secret of your beauty lie in what you eat?
Beauty is subjective. Wellbeing and health is closely related to food and exercise. You truly are what you eat.
What are your parting words on cooking tips/food for your fans and admirers?
Denying food is denying life, it makes one unhappy. Food once understood and respected is one of the joys of life and the good Lord made it so.
Thanks for your cooperation.
I am yours.
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