A new Africa restaurant to cup pounded yam opens in Coventry
A FORMER Coventry University student has opened a restaurant specialising in traditional African cuisine.
A FORMER Coventry University student has opened a restaurant specialising in traditional African cuisine.
And owner Akintoye Giwa will be employing students part-time to help him run A.G.G, in Far Gosford Street.
Akintoye said: “Opening my own restaurant has been my dream for as long as I can remember.
“When I was little my mum had a rule, she always told us we had to stand in the kitchen with her whilst she cooked or we wouldn’t eat.
“I guess some of what I saw rubbed off on me because before I knew it I developed a passion for cooking.
“Luckily, I was good at it and before long I started baking cupcakes and selling them to my friends at school. I’ve always known I wanted to work for myself and be a self-made man.
“It wasn’t always possible though. I’d begin to save money for my goal and then I’d get a large bill or find some hidden cost and then I’d have to start all over again.
“There was a point after university when things didn’t work out like I had planned and I ended up on Jobseeker’s Allowance but I kept faith in God and hoped for the best.
“I used to commute from Coventry to Birmingham every day for a job I didn’t enjoy doing.
“That was the final straw, I came home that day and told my family and friends that I was going to open my own restaurant.
“It’s been a turbulent journey. I never went to catering school or anything like that, I knew I had a talent and I constantly worked on fine tuning it, going to culinary classes and getting all the necessary qualifications so that one day I could make my dream a reality.”
Akintoye, who was born in Nigeria, was inspired to cook traditional African dishes by his mum.
He moved to London in 2000 and worked as an assistant chef before moving to Coventry nine years later.
Mr Giwa, said: “My mum was very strict with the way she cooked the food but I learnd all my best dishes from her. My favourite dish is okra soup with fresh vegetables and seasoning. It tastes divine.
“I’m really happy that I’m the one employing people now. I’m creating jobs for people in a recession, my aim is help people who find themselves on Jobseeker’s Allowance like I was.”
