by Rachel Ogbu//

Nigerian-British brother-sister duo Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick are running Chuku’s Nigerian Tapas Restaurant known as the world’s first Nigerian tapas lounge. Their menu ranges from honey-glazed Suya prawns selling at £7.45 to Kuli Kuli chicken wings, seasoned with peanuts and spices costing £5.95.

Last year, the duo showed how savvy they are when they won the £2000 prize money in the Virgin Media Pioneers competition. “We have been working hard all year to grow the business but these last couple of months, we really dug deep to push ourselves to set Chuku’s up for an even better 2017,” Emeka told chopstreets.com. “Winning the Virgin Media Pioneers competition is a humbling recognition for our efforts. £2,000 will go a long way in setting up our first ever permanent site. It feels like Christmas has come early!”

Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick decided to focus on Nigerian food after seeing the lack of Nigerian cuisine on the London scene but they wanted to do so with a difference. According to their website, the idea came to them when they lived in Spain. Emeka spent a lot of Sundays just chilling with friends in a tapas bar, he fell in love with the relaxed, social tapas dining culture. Then, Ifeyinwa moved to Martinique in the Caribbean few years later and developed an appreciation for a slower pace of life than she had been used to in London. Returning to London where everything, including meals, happened at an accelerated speed, the duo decided to slow things down. They wanted to create a spot where people could not only enjoy Nigerian food and culture but could also chill out, relax and enjoy each other’s company. And so, they set up Chuku’s to be the home of good food, good conversation and good vibes. Chop, chat, chill!

Emeka and Ifeyinwa Fredericks’ manifesto states: Chuku’s is more than just food, it is the place to ‘chop, chat, chill’.

×   Chop Nigerian food is at the heart of what we do. Our menu is centred on authentic Nigerian flavours, offering a selection of traditional dishes and those with a special Chuku’s twist. So, whether you’re new to Nigerian cuisine or grew up on jollof and eba, we’ve got something for you. And with our mini tapas plates, it’s easy to choose all you fancy.

×   Chat is for the conversations that take place in our restaurant. Socialising is centred around food in Nigeria and we believe there’s no better way to catch up with friends than over a good meal.

×   Chill is for our relaxed atmosphere – the much-needed antidote to busy London life. Enjoy your food against a backdrop of Nigerian chill-out beats and Nigerian-inspired art as we bring you the best of Nigerian culture. All we ask is that you kick back, relax and make yourself at home.

Rachel Ogbu

UK Based Strategic, multidisciplinary Writer with an eye for innovation and pixel perfection. MA in New Media and Internet Technologies. “Although my skill set is vast, my greatest expertise revolve in the worlds of social media, content creation and print collateral. My wish is to combine my knowledge and experience in these areas, to deliver the best creative to my employer’s clients and their audiences.”