Adil Shaikh, the Executive Chef at Lagos Marriott Hotel Ikeja has not only proven his culinary 

abilities at the hotel but he has blended his expertise in menu design, cultivation, team building & leadership to uplift the hotel.

The man from the city of Dream, Mumbai, India is a recipient of various awards which include ‘The 50 most influential executive chefs working in the Middle East’s hotels – Hotelier Middle East’.

In this interview with JIMOH BABATUNDE, he shares his experience as a chef which he sees as a passport to seeing the world and African food culture.

If he cooked growing up?

Residing in a Foodie Place Called Hazuri Dargah, I was Inspired to cook, Whether it was helping my Mom in the kitchen, or experimenting with my recipes during Muharram, cooking has always been a part of my life, it’s a skill that I cherish and continue to enjoy.

On why he decided  to become a Professional Cook

It was a rewarding career choice for me with travel opportunities to the world and the opportunity to experiment with different cuisines and explore different cooking techniques as well as for my personal growth.

The culinary world provides ample opportunities to express one’s artistic flair through food presentation, flavour combinations and innovative dishes.

On his training as a chef  

My training days helped shape my skills and experiences with hands-on training in the kitchen that assisted me in my practical experience as our senior chefs helped with proper knife skills, cooking techniques and how to handle ingredients efficiently. 

We were taught teamwork, time management, Adaptability, Hygiene & safety, Attention to detail, and most importantly, stress management which helped me to learn how to stay calm during tough situations and busy hours.

My early career was demanding with long-standing hours, lifting heavy pots and pans and washing in hot environments which can be physically exhausting.

As the Kitchen operates at a high pace during busy hours, it was not easy to cope with the kitchen pace.

Keeping up with orders, multitasking and maintaining quality  was intense but it was a learning curve which built me up today as an Executive chef at  great organisations.

If he goes through the same training again

Well, let’s say it’s like asking a tomato if it wants to be salsa. Sometimes spicy, often messy, but ultimately it adds flavour to life.

His cooking tip for a novice

Read Recipes thoroughly, prep ingredients before you start and always start with simplicity and respecting your ingredients. Don’t forget to organise your workplace for your seamless cooking experience.

Advice for  a young person interested in getting into the culinary industry

Kitchen can be intense emotionally so do not hesitate to speak up when you need assistance. Balance your firmness and flexibility.

If you aspire to run a kitchen in future, be both firm and understanding, set expectations, enforce schedules and lead confidently. 

Learn from experienced chefs their unique style of cooking and most importantly, be patient and persistent.

Understand that mastery takes time, and remember always that the culinary world is challenging and rewarding. Embrace the journey, experiment and savour every flavour.

On favourite gadget

 My favorite gadget in the Kitchen is a Microplane grater as it is perfect for adding zest, it’s a small tool with a big flavour impact and I believe the best gadget is the one that suits your cooking style and brings joy to your kitchen.

Funniest Kitchen incident?

The great Truffle Loss in a bustling kitchen, is one of the commis was tasked to clean the chillers. He found in the Risotto Rice jar a piece of truffle, which he thought was some unwanted object in rice, so without anyone’s permission he threw the rice and truffle away.

Normally in the kitchen, we keep whole truffles in rice to bring out more flavour and for preservation, we were having a high-stakes dinner service where we needed to use the Truffle and everyone started looking for truffle as it was missing. Then the guy came up and said today I cleaned chiller there were some spoiled things in the jar,  so I threw all stuff away.

My face turned crimson and the entire kitchen held their breath then like a seasoned chef I used Truffle oil to finish the dish later on; from there truffles were handled like they were Faberge eggs. A Simple kitchen mishap became a gourmet comedy.

On his favourite food to cook with

Cooking with Fresh herbs is a delightful experience for me as they add vibrant flavours and aromatic notes to dishes they elevate dishes Like Basil, Thyme, Cilantro.

On the importance of  food culture to Africans today

African Food culture holds immense significance today, connecting people to their heritage, history and community as it’s a powerful testament to storytelling and cultural preservation each dish carries the history traditions and values and yes these treasured recipes are passed down through generations.

Celebrating authentic flavours and Indigenous ingredients dishes like Jollof rice, Fufu, and Egusi soup these dishes connect younger generations to their roots and cultural heritage.

On what he  eats at home

The Joys of home-cooked meals from my Mom and sister’s recipes, Food at home is all about what brings me comfort and joy.

On Marriot Hotel’s Sustainable Project

We at Marriott Lagos use sustainable ingredients to support local farmer communities. In the Kitchen, we minimize food waste by using all parts of ingredients root-to-stem and nose-to-tail cooking and we have implemented efficient inventory management. 

We are always focused on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients which reduces the environmental impact of transportation. 

In Marriott Lagos Kitchen, we prioritize nutritious options that are sustainable and accessible for all, promoting food security for best practice we have an internal Marriott sustainable cooking competition where every month chefs are given sustainable products and trimmings to showcase their creativity and talent to implement healthy cooking and to emphasized eliminating processed food.