By Ebunoluwa Sessou

It was an atmosphere of joy as Mastercard ended its three weeks of celebrating and showcasing the culinary scene in Nigeria, with an award ceremony at the Workbox Green Garden, Lagos.

It will be recalled that the Mastercard Restaurant Week started between November 7and 27.

Popular influencers, restaurants, chefs, members of the press, as well as culinary enthusiasts converged to experience an extended schedule rewarding the industry’s passion for dining.

Sponsored by Mastercard, the event connected cardholders and Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to their passion for the culinary space, driving investment in local talent, and giving cardholders in West Africa a taste of exclusive dining experiences. Events like this ultimately increase the capacity of SME owners to provide world-class offerings to their customers, propelling the growth of the economy in the process.

With over 70 restaurants in Lagos and Abuja, cardholders, some of whom may have been unable to enjoy first-rate culinary experiences due to budgetary constraints enjoyed fine and casual dining in the city with specially curated menus at discounted rates.

Hosted by Lost In A City, the award ceremony recognised the top three restaurants for their outstanding service and menus based on customer feedback including Pitstop Lagos, Talindo Steakhouse, and Buttermilk] while ten waiters from the restaurants received cash rewards for their resourcefulness and quality of service.

In her speech, Marketing Director for West Africa, Mastercard, Yosola Atere, said, “Dining remains one of the top passion points for Nigerians, and at Mastercard, we are proud to collaborate with local businesses to bring multi-sensory culinary experiences to our cardholders, while powering the SME sector in the country.

“We believe our continued support of the restaurant industry is important, as it provides excellent social settings for us to share wonderful meals amongst friends and family against a backdrop of ambience and local flair. Restaurants possess the ability to transport us to a world of diverse tastes, cultures, and experiences,

Restaurant Week follows the conclusion of the Lagos Cocktail Week, another industry-leading event sponsored by Mastercard, which ended on October 21. Identifying dining as a major passion point in West Africa, Mastercard has powered numerous culinary and fine dining events throughout the year, helping merchants gain visibility and patronage, especially during the festive season.

“As Nigerians’ appetite for culinary experiences grows, so do the growth opportunities for digital payments in this market. Various initiatives, such as Restaurant Week, bring the technology company closer to achieving its vision of connecting one billion individuals and 50 million Micro and Small Merchants (MSMs) to the digital economy by 2025.

“Other initiatives, The Kitchen, a competition which aims to support and promote aspiring small business owners in the restaurant scene in Nigeria. Rewarding SMEs also came with imparting knowledge with The Kitchen Masterclass, a course with six experts in the food, service and design sectors guiding aspiring restauranteurs on the path to running successful restaurant businesses”, she said.