Adejoké Bakare’s rise to (Michelin) stardom has been inspiring to watch: Chishuru, her Fitzrovia-based West African restaurant, was awarded one of the coveted stars just five months after opening. Here, she tells us where she chooses to dine during any downtime.
Nigerian-born Adejoké (Joké) Bakare cemented herself as one of London’s best chefs after a quick and very inspirational journey. It started in 2020 with a pop-up restaurant at Brixton Village – a space she won after entering a competition. The temporary residency proved so popular that it extended long beyond its initial three-month period, with Joké serving Brixton regulars and visitors here for another two years. In 2022, having outgrown her Brixton space, Joké moved her dishes (and patrons) between various pop-ups across London, before opening the restaurant we know and love today: Chishuru in Fitzrovia.
Five months after opening, Chishuru won a Michelin star, and Joké became the first Black female Michelin-starred chef in the UK – and the first Black female chef in the world with her own Michelin-starred restaurant.
Here, she shares her own favourite food finds, including the restaurants she loves and the dishes she can’t stop thinking about in London and abroad.
In London…
You’re celebrating good news, where are you?
Hunan in Pimlico with lots of friends (raiding the owner Michael Peng’s wine list).
A friend is visiting for the first time, where are you eating on day one?
Twelve-seater Aulis: head chef Charlie Taylor’s cooking is quintessentially British, and restaurant manager/sommelier Charles Carron Brown is a genius with cocktails.
It’s date night: where’s your secret spot for two?
Labombe by Trivet. Image credit: Jodi Hinds
Where are you and a group of girlfriends getting together for an overdue catch up?
Quality Wines, eating whatever the head chef Nick Bramham feels like cooking, and drinking whichever wines the general manager and sommelier Marcos Spyrou feels like pouring.
Best place for a street-food snack?
Tasty African Food – there are branches all over London and I can never resist their puff puff and their meat pies.
What is London’s must-do dining experience?
Planque, owner and chef Seb Myers’ food is second to none, and it’s such a beautiful space.
And its must-eat dish?
Parmesan fries at Luca. I’ve eaten so many of these that I’m beyond counting.
What’s the one restaurant you don’t want anyone to find out about (but will tell us here)?
Himi: 4 Newburgh Street, Carnaby, London W1F 7RF
Himi, a tiny Japanese place on Newburgh Street in Soho, run by a husband-and-wife team.
And abroad…
Where was your most memorable meal abroad?
Maní in São Paulo. Helena Rizzo has been running it for 20 years and there are so many crossovers with what we do at Chishuru; it was moving.
Favourite dining experience on your last trip?
Dinner at Lido 84, overlooking Lake Garda. However, this restaurant is currently closed so I’ll give you one more too: L’Argine, a tiny restaurant near the village of Vencò, in the far north-east of Italy. Antonia Klugmann is the chef, and she makes extensive use of local herbs and vegetables, often foraged from around the restaurant. I can’t think of many places like it in the world.
Which dish are you always thinking about?
At Lido 84: perch and cod tripe in tempura, with trout eggs and citrus honey. At L’Argine: spaghetti with fig leaves and acacia flowers – like a lot of Antonia’s food it was bitter and sour in just the right way. The combining of these ingredients is so inventive.
Street food in Bangkok
Where is the best city in the world for food?
Bangkok, because it does everything well, from street-food spots to the many Michelin-starred restaurants.
Your one restaurant recommendation in Bangkok?
Sorn, an extraordinary three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the centre of the city.
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Lead image: Harriet Langford
Katie Silcox is Citizen Femme’s managing editor. Originally from the UK, she’s also lived in India, the UAE and spent seven years based in Athens, where Greek-island hopping was her favourite summer pastime. She’s previously worked across titles including Condé Nast Traveller, GQ and Architectural Digest.
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