Speaking on CNN’s African Voices , Hilda Baci said the focus should not be on deconstructing Nigerian dishes to make them more familiar to Western audiences, but on presenting the food in its original form while giving it the right exposure and branding.
“When you’re trying to elevate Nigerian cuisine, they think deconstructing it,” Baci said.
She argued that established cuisines are often allowed to retain their identity when introduced to international audiences and questioned why Nigerian food should be treated differently.
For Baci, authenticity is central to the appeal of Nigerian food. She said Nigerian dishes should retain their original appearance, aroma and character rather than being changed simply to suit Western tastes.
‘Nigerian food is ready for the world’
Baci also pushed back against the idea that the level of spice in Nigerian food determines its quality.
According to the chef, what makes Nigerian food special is the depth of its flavors, the indigenous ingredients used and the way those flavors are built.
She acknowledged that people have different preferences when it comes to spice and said Nigerian food can be prepared at different levels of heat without compromising its identity.
Her larger point was that Nigerian food should be given the opportunity to be experienced on its own terms.
“Nigerian food is ready for the world. It just needs the right branding,” she told CNN.
Baci said her ambition is to see Nigerian restaurants become as common in cities around the world as Chinese restaurants, giving people the opportunity to walk into a Nigerian restaurant and experience the country's food and culture.
From food to global identity
The chef also spoke about how food can change in people's perception when it receives stronger international promotion.
She pointed to foods that were once considered ordinary or undesirable but later became associated with fine dining, arguing that perception can change with time, presentation and effective public relations.
For Baci, Nigerian cuisine does not necessarily need to become something else to be accepted internationally.
Instead, she believes the country needs to tell its food story better.
Her comments come against the backdrop of her own efforts to promote Nigerian cuisine through her restaurant, record-breaking food projects and international media appearances.
More than records
Baci's conversation with CNN also touched on the personal philosophy behind her success.
Asked how she would like to be remembered, the 30-year-old chef said her achievements matter, but she ultimately wants to be remembered as someone who dared to dream and remained a decent human being.
She said she hopes her journey will encourage other people to dream and pursue what they believe is possible.
Away from her professional ambitions, Baci revealed that she does not usually eat breakfast and prefers substantial meals. Among her favorite foods, she mentioned rice, fufu, and afang soup, a dish associated with her Akwa Ibom heritage.
For Baci, however, the bigger ambition extends beyond what is on her plate.
She wants Nigerian cuisine to travel farther, while remaining unmistakably Nigerian when it gets there.
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