Simileoluwa Adebajo and Eko Kitchen
By Maddie Scher
Simileoluwa Adebajo is the chef and owner of Eko Kitchen, a restaurant created to share Nigerian culture, values, and cuisine with the city of San Francisco. When she first moved to the city to pursue a masters degree, Adebajo noted the lack of Nigerian cultural representation around her. She has since developed a menu that brings the tastes of Lagos to San Francisco, and, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, has begun to rethink what it means to feed her community.
Adebajo generously shared her time and perspective. The following conversation has been lightly edited for clarity.
Photo by Eko Kitchen
What led you to open Eko Kitchen? Did you always want to be a chef?
I opened Eko Kitchen because I saw that there was no representation for Nigeria in the city of San Francisco when I first moved here, and I wanted to share flavors from home with San Francisco and the Bay Area at large. I was not always a chef. I actually moved here for my masters in International and Development Economics at USF and stayed when my business took off.
How would you describe the foods and flavors from Lagos, Nigeria?
I would describe the flavors and food from Lagos as bold, soulful and spicy. Each Nigerian dish has so many elements to create a layered flavor experience for the person eating.
What is the most popular dish on your menu and what is one dish you recommend?
The most popular dish on our menu is the Eko Combo. It is a dish containing jollof rice, grilled chicken in our house roasted pepper sauce and fried plantains. The resulting flavor profile is sweet, smoky and spicy, and I recommend it for all Nigerian food newbies.
Photos by Reed Davis
How has COVID-19 affected your business?
COVID-19 caused us to pivot and rethink what it means to feed our community. When the pandemic hit, I thought that meant focusing on selling as many boxes of takeout as possible but our work with SF New Deal has made me think of my restaurant as so much more. Even though my team is smaller now and my mission is slightly different, our core goal of sharing Nigerian flavors with the world still remains the same.
What inspired you to work with SF New Deal?
I have always been touched by the state of homelessness and need in San Francisco, especially because some of the wealthiest companies and people in the world live here as well. When I saw that there was an opportunity to actually make a meaningful impact in the lives of these individuals through food, I immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of this project.
Would you continue to cook for neighbors in need after COVID-19?
For as long as my restaurant continues to exist, giving will always be a part of our business model. It makes the work so much more fulfilling and inspires me to cook the best meals possible especially for vulnerable populations, so yes.
What would you like San Franciscans to know about you?
I would like San franciscans to know that I am just a young woman very far away from home, trying to share the culture and values of my country with them so I don't feel too homesick. I hope that they are open to accepting and learning about Nigerian food and ideals from me.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
This year has been challenging for me and my team between dealing with the pandemic and a fire that almost claimed everything in my business, but despite the challenges, I hope that my courage and persistence has encouraged someone else to keep going, and to share their light wherever and however they can.
Photos by Eko Kitchen
You can support Simileoluwa rebuild Eko Kitchen through their GoFundMe.
Eko Kitchen will be reopening for pickup orders Sunday September 20th. You can order from their website then.