In the West African language of Hausa, “Chishuru” means “the silence that descends on the table when the food arrives,” according to chef Adejoké Bakare in an interview with CNN. “It indicates the love and passion for food and ingredients that is essential to who I am as a chef.”
That silence now echoes through one of London’s most significant culinary achievements. In February 2024, Chishuru received a Michelin star, making Bakare the first Black female chef in the UK to earn the accolade. But the journey from supper club to Michelin recognition wasn’t inevitable. It required perseverance, vision, and an unwavering commitment to showcasing West African cuisine in a way London hadn’t seen before.
From Nigeria to North London
Growing up in Nigeria as the oldest sibling, Bakare was usually the one cooking for the family, as reported by CNN. When she moved to the UK around 20 years ago to study microbiology, she brought her love for cooking with her. She worked in various fields, including care, health and safety, and property management, before starting in food with a van outside her church in southeast London, according to The Staff Canteen.
Bakare is entirely self-taught. As a Michelin Guide inspector noted (inspectors remain anonymous), “Her style is unique, and the restaurant is a wonderful reflection of her personality and her cooking: it is fun, full of life, generous and hugely enjoyable.”
Her desire to work in food harked back to her university years in Nigeria, where she studied biological sciences and ran a fish and chip cart in her spare time, according to The Staff Canteen.
The Brixton Kitchen Victory
In 2019, Bakare won the amateur category in the Brixton Kitchen competition, organized by Hondo Enterprises and judged by chefs including Jackson Boxer, James Cochran, and Claire Ptak, as reported by Restaurant Online. The prize: a three-month restaurant popup in Brixton Village.
“Winning for me was a major step towards fulfilling my dream of introducing my vision of West African cuisine to the London food scene,” Bakare told Restaurant Online in August 2020, just weeks before opening. “The feedback Chishuru has received so far has been wonderful. I’m so glad to be able to bring pleasure with my food and introduce the cuisine of our region to more people.”
That pop-up opened in September 2020 amid the murmurings of a second coronavirus lockdown. Restaurant magazine visited just two weeks after opening. Despite the challenging timing, Chishuru opened to barnstorming acclaim, according to Square Meal.
The menu featured dishes like goat ayamase (slow-cooked goat shoulder with spiced green sauce), groundnut soup with chargrilled cauliflower in spiced peanut butter sauce, and baobab mousse with peanut ice cream, malted millet, and sorghum molasses granola, priced at £28 for four courses.
The Move to Fitzrovia
The Brixton site operated on an 18-month lease. When it closed in October 2022, loyal fans feared the worst. Within two years of opening, Chishuru had earned a spot in the top 100 of Estrella Damm’s National Restaurant Awards and was crowned Time Out’s Best Restaurant in London 2022, according to Carousel London.
In September 2023, Chishuru found its permanent home on Great Titchfield Street in Fitzrovia, central London. As Bakare explained to the Michelin Guide, “In Brixton, the sense of community was wonderful, and for me it was so easy to access ethnic produce, and I had a one-to-one relationship with the suppliers. Fitzrovia gives us a thriving lunchtime trade from the nearby industries such as tech, fashion, and finance.”
The new location seats approximately 30 diners and operates Monday through Friday for lunch (12-2 pm) and dinner (5:30-9:30 pm), closed weekends.
The Historic Star
When the 2024 Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland was announced on February 5, history was made. Both Chishuru and the nearby West African restaurant Akoko received stars. Bakare’s achievement resonated globally, with subsequent interviews on CBS, NBC, The New York Times, German publication Der Spiegel, BBC World at One, and The Food Program, as reported by Restaurant Online in July 2024.
“It’s bonkers,” Bakare said to Restaurant Online with a bemused smile when discussing the media attention. “I always dreamed of having my own restaurant,” she told CNN. Now faced with increased demand following the star, she remained focused: “Right now we are just looking to cope with our new increased demand. I want to carry on pushing what we do.”
The Kitchen Philosophy
Bakare is determined to run what she described to CNN as “a happy, respectful kitchen” where teamwork is paramount. This approach extends to her food philosophy. “What I’m proudest of at Chishuru is being able to cook my food, my way,” she told CNN.
The menu changes regularly but features dishes like Ekoki (corn, tamarind, mushroom floss), Kazan Ridi (grilled chicken, black sesame), and Atasi (spiced mutton rice), according to Carousel London. These aren’t token gestures toward West African food. They’re creative, contemporary versions of traditional and lesser-known dishes from across the region.
As the restaurant’s website states simply: “Modern West African restaurant in Fitzrovia, central London, from chef Joké Bakare, one Michelin star.”
What’s Next
The challenge now is maintaining momentum. As Bakare told CNN, they are continuing to push what they do while coping with demand. She remains grounded by her community, regularly visiting Peckham in southeast London, where there’s a huge Nigerian community. “It’s so vibrant,” she told the Michelin Guide.
She’s also supportive of fellow West African restaurateurs. Her friend Aji owns Akoko, just three streets away. “He’s got a different approach to the cuisine than we do. His restaurant has one foot in French fine dining,” she explained to the Michelin Guide.
Five years after winning that Brixton Kitchen competition, Bakare has gone from an accomplished London chef to a global sensation, as Restaurant Online noted. The self-taught microbiologist who ran supper clubs from her southeast London home now leads a Michelin-starred kitchen, introducing West African cuisine to London diners one silence at a time.
In a city where representation in fine dining remains limited, Chishuru stands as proof that vision, authenticity, and infectious personality can break through barriers. That when the food arrives, and silence descends, what matters isn’t where the chef trained or who they know, but the love and passion evident on every plate.
