Shola Olunloyo is opening the door for the next generation of African chefs in the U.S.

Nigerian chef Shola Olunloyo brings a world of flavor to Stone Barns in its first-ever kitchen residency.
Dishes like egusi stew and suya pheasant have captured the imaginations of Shola Olunloyo's diners. In 2017, I was invited to participate in a festival at the Culinary Institute of America — the Hogwarts of chef schools is how I have since came to understand it — called "Worlds of Flavor." This was the first time I had the opportunity to cook alongside other chefs of color — specifically, Black chefs with African roots, cooking African food at a level that would inspire and command me to step out of my comfort zone.

It was there that I met Shola Olunloyo, the 45-year-old Nigerian wizard of gastronomy who secured the first-ever residency at the nonprofit Stone Barns Center, home of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, the world-renowned restaurant with two Michelin stars in Westchester, New York, helmed by chef Dan Barber. There, Shola took the reins from Barber with a West African-inspired menu from Jan. 13 to Feb. 6.