In honor of Black History Month, a catering company in southwest London has launched a unique Colombian-Nigerian fusion menu.
PenniBlack, a prominent London events and catering firm, has crafted a menu that blends the rich flavors of Colombia and Nigeria, celebrating the cultural diversity and culinary heritage of both nations.
This innovative collaboration is spearheaded by chefs Angelo Gonzales and Victor Okunowo, who merge their culinary passions and backgrounds to create dishes as vibrant as the cultures they represent.
The menu reflects a celebration of culture, creativity, and teamwork, featuring items such as scallops drizzled with a tangy flor de hibiscus glaze and beef tartare enhanced with the nutty warmth of suya spice, offering a delicious and meaningful dining experience.
Gonzales, who was born in Colombia and raised in Brixton, embarked on his culinary career at just 18 by joining Jamie Oliver’s ‘Fifteen’ program, an intensive 12-month course that propelled him into high-end kitchens, including Akoko and the Michelin-starred Trinity in Clapham.
His journey, enriched by multicultural influences, is evident in the dishes he creates today.
He remarked, “There are a lot of preserved elements that are kept underground and fermented, which gives the food a deep flavor. You need to understand how these dishes are cooked in the country to know how to replicate them successfully.”
Okunowo, who moved to East London from Nigeria at the age of four, draws his culinary inspiration from his mother, a restaurant manager and caterer.
Although he initially pursued a career in sound engineering, he found his calling in the kitchen while studying at Redbridge College.
His experience includes working in some of London’s top restaurants, such as Gauthier, Galvin, and Jumeirah Carlton. He gained further recognition as a semi-finalist on Masterchef: The Professionals in 2018, noting, “Nothing prepares you for the pressure on that show. I was chuffed I got that far.”
The two chefs connected through a mutual acquaintance at Akoko and soon teamed up to launch a pop-up supper club called ‘Ayo Collective,’ which means “joy.”
Their partnership is rooted in a shared passion for their respective cultures and a desire to create dishes that authentically merge their culinary backgrounds. Okunowo stated, “Until now, there have been no Colombian-Nigerian fusion dishes that showcase our multicultural backgrounds. It’s a melting pot of different cuisines.”
Gonzales and Okunowo continuously experiment with new flavor profiles, combining elements from their culinary heritages and fine-tuning their creations until each dish encapsulates the essence of both cultures.
“We dig deep, working with similar flavors but with different interpretations. We aim to provide an overall experience of our cultures,” Okunowo explained. Gonzales emphasized the importance of documentation in their creative process: “We write everything down and have a book of dishes and flavor profiles. It’s crucial to have a record of what we’ve created so we can grow and innovate.”
The fusion menu at PenniBlack stands as a testament to the meticulous collaboration between the two chefs over the past two years, celebrating the rich culinary traditions of Colombia and Nigeria in a fresh and exciting way.
