Who Is Chef Innocent Sossou?
Chef Innocent Sossou is an experienced chef with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry. More than 20 years of experience leading culinary roles and delivering fine dining experience.
What's your favorite meal to make?
I enjoy making dishes like pasta and seafood to showcase my skills and creativity.
What country has the best meal and why?
France, for its fine dining cuisine
What challenges are you facing as a chef in Nigeria?
As a Chef in Nigeria, some of the key challenges include: Limited access to quality ingredients, chefs in Nigeria often struggle to find high-quality, fresh ingredients and culinary supplies, no renowned formal culinary education and training, many aspiring chefs in Nigeria do not have access to formal culinary schools or training programs, lack of recognition, chefs in Nigeria may not always receive the recognition and respect they deserve for their skills and contributions to the culinary arts.
If you weren't a chef, what profession would you have been?
Be a footballer. I played football a lot growing up, on the street, in the fields, name it, I'd be there. Football is life
Whisky or vodka?
Whisky all day, every day!
Football or Basketball?
Football naaaa
What inspired you to be a chef?
Series of factors inspired me to pursue a career as a chef. First, international magazines with food decorations and cakes. Secondly, passion for cooking and creating delicious dishes, and a love for working with food and flavours. Thirdly, desire to bring joy to others through my culinary creations, a fascination with food culture, and lastly, the art of cooking. Cooking is an Art, you bring passion to it, you create it in your mind first.
What's the most exciting thing you've ever done?
One of the most exciting things I ever did as a chef was participate in a live cooking competition as a judge. We issued a mystery basket of ingredients and a limited amount of time to create a dish. The candidate's rush of cooking under pressure and the thrill of competing against other talented cooks was such an exhilarating experience. In the end, they were able to create a unique and delicious dish that received high praise from us the judges. It was a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone.
What's your advice for the young ones looking up to you?
Stay passionate, the culinary industry can be tough and demanding, so it's important to stay passionate about cooking and food. Passion is what will drive you to work hard, continue learning, and strive for excellence in your crafts. Be open to learning, no matter how experienced you become, there is always something new to learn in the culinary world. Stay curious, be open to trying new techniques and ingredients, and never stop learning. Work hard, success in the culinary industry doesn't come easy, it takes dedication, hard work, and perseverance. Be willing to put in the long hours, push yourself outside of your comfort zone, and always give your best efforts. Respect the ingredients, as a chef, you have the privilege of working with some of the finest ingredients in the world. Treat them with respect, highlight their natural flavors, and let them shine in your dishes. Build relationships, the culinary world is a tight-knit community, so it's important to build relationships with colleagues, mentors, and other industry professionals. Networking can open up opportunities, inspire creativity, and help you grow as a chef. Embrace failure, it is a natural part of the learning process. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, learn from them, and use them as opportunities for growth and improvement. Stay humble, no matter how successful you become as a chef, always stay humble and continue to learn from others. There is always room for growth and improvement, no matter how experienced you may be.