Over the weekend, FoodBay TV, the organisers of Street Foodz Naija, crowned the first female winner of the show.
After weeks of battling with other contestants Chef Scholastica Joseph, emerged winner of the season 3 and broke record as the first female winner of the televised and digitally transmitted docu-reality series that showcases the best of Nigeria’s street food delicacies.
Chef Scholastica, as she’s fondly called, beat six other finalists to win at the grand finale of the competition, which was held at the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos recently.
However, the grand finale of the cooking show saw Chef Scholastica smile home with the grand prize worth N20 million, including training at the Metropolitan School of Business Management, United Kingdom; all expense paid trip to Dubai and culinary scholarship at HBM.
Meanwhile, Abraham Nwanuah (Chef Blue), the first runner-up, will be getting N5million grand prize worth, which consist of 30 percent in cash, scholarship at Hospitality Business School and FoodBayTV’s street foodz SME toolkit. In contrast, Eze Lilian Nneka (Chef Lily z), the second runner up, was presented will be receiving N3million prize worth. This consists of 30 percent in cash, scholarship at Hospitality Business School and FoodBayTV SME toolkit.
Expressing her excitement over her feat, while receiving her prizes, Chef Scholastica said, “It is so unreal. My friend told me about it and encouraged me to apply. I was not serious at first, but when I applied and got selected, it was mind-blowing; it is the most educational show for me.”
The Akwa Ibom State-born chef noted that she is still surprised at her victory and becoming the first female to be crowned winner in the show.
“Having participated in this show, my creativity level is so high now. Now, I am thinking about the training; I will go for it in Dubai. I am going to get more knowledge so that I can run my outfit,” Chef Scholastica said.
Trailing her journey in the cooking profession she said, “My mum and I were chased out of the house by my step father, so I had to rely on selling food to survive. I used to sell food bowls; I started doing that when I was between 16 and 17. So, I had to get a UNILAG diploma form and that was how I was able to pay my fees. The days I don’t have lectures, I will take more orders to pile up money. That’s how I was able to pay my fees, and get better accommodation.”
Commenting at the event, Femi Ogundoro, CEO, Maxima Media Group, owners of FoodBay TV, said the vision behind Street Foodz Naija to put Nigerian street foods on the global map.
“Street Foodz Naija is pretty much to celebrate superstars like the contestants that we had on this show this season. Trust me, Nigeria is blessed. The journey has been very interesting; they have also been able to justify why we are doing what we are doing here today. You also need to be an ambassador for African food; be proud of it anywhere,” Ogundoro said.
On the effort by FoodBay TV to reposition Nigerian dishes for the international market, he said, “We’re not asking for a seat at the table anymore; we’re constructing our own table. We’re not going to be looking at the foreign media to dictate what we do with our food anymore; we will tell them how to feel about food and how to see it. But it starts with you and I understanding who we are as a people. We are Nigerians. Let’s take pride in what we have, in who we are as a people. Let’s not be ashamed of our jollof rice.”
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Ogundoro, who believes Nigeria can compete favourably at international level through our dishes, said, “We are celebrating burgers, we are celebrating tacos, shawarma, but we need to do more with our stuff. We need to do more with our Agege Bread and Ewa Agoyin, and that is what FoodBay TV is all about. Let us make it exciting enough, let us educate people about it and then put African food on the world food map.”
The CEO of Maxima Media Group also commended Chef Scholastica on her victory.
“The prizes on the show are not for personal use but for the growth and promotion of the winners’ street Foodz businesses. FoodbayTV shall work closely and monitor to ensure the funds are put to judicious use in the respective street food business” Ogundoro added.
The grand finale, which was hosted by Do2tun and Elozonam, was also spiced with musical performances by music artistes, including Eloswag of Big Brother Naija.
