A celebrity Chef, Ette Assam is the Chief Executive Officer of 8tte’s Barbeque and Cocktail. The graduate of Lingustics from the University of Calabar found his career path in the business of grilling over 22 years ago while he was an undergraduate. He is a fellow of the American Barbecue Association and an expert rotisseur. He has featured as a celebrity guest in the Seasons 4 and 7 editions of Big Brother Nigeria (BBN), and was a judge in the recently concluded Street Foodz Naija reality TV show. Chef Assam has catered to the creme de la creme of both the Nigerian and international society, as well as high profile events. The multiple award-winning Assam speaks to IJEOMA THOMAS-ODIA on his journey to the world of grilling.
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How did you found yourself in the grilling business?
I started in 2001. I started while in the university. I wanted to be a field person, get a job after school either in the entertainment space or telecoms industry but then, things went on standstill. We had a long strike like the one witnessed recently, and then it lasted for 18 months. I attended University of Calabar and studied Linguistics. In our usual manner, we convey as undergraduates here in Lagos at the home of one of us to discuss and network since we are all from different universities. The elder brother to a friend of ours would listen to us. One day, he called me privately and said he had listened to me and found me quite intelligent. He said he heard me talk about taking N30, 000 to school and quizzed it was for a month. I told him it was for the whole semester, because I came from a humble home and so I come to Lagos to hustle, to see what I can take back to school. He said he would teach me how to make money, and even when school starts, I would continue. I wondered what it was and he said, ‘I want to teach you Chicken and Chips.’

My hope dampened, and I asked, ‘Oga, how can you say this, how can I make money with Chicken and Chips’? He said he would tell me a story. He told me that he went to the University of Ibadan, he stopped collecting money from his parents since second semester of the first year, he bought his first car in first semester of the second year, he left campus and moved to Bodija in second semester of second year, he had three stores in school where his Chicken and chips are sold. In the first semester of the third year, he bought a power bike and another car. He said he made enough money that he sent money to his parents at home. This opened my eyes and blew my mind. Unfortunately, he doesn’t do it anymore.

I got interested; my first experience was at the NYSC camp in Ipaja, Lagos. I joined him at the time and all I thought I would do is run simple errands. He made me light the fire and grill, though I had never done it before. He said I would learn. He taught me in a rugged way; I was using my bare hands to turn chicken on the fire. He said to me, ‘its either you burn your hands now, or you burn your hands in the future.” That was deep and I told myself I wanted a future and that spurred me. Shortly after the three weeks in the camp, and as God would have it, they called off the strike.

When I was going back to school, I went to him and he said he didn’t have money, but said I should wait for him. He went into his room, brought out the apron I worked with and a broken fork and asked me to kneel down and he said now that I have learnt, I should go and do exploit, and no matter where I stand in any corner of the road, I would sell. It was so emotional. Then, I had to take a night bus, The Young from Ojuelegba back to Calabar. Throughout my journey, I was just crying, I would bring out the apron and fork and cry.

How did you carry out your first assignment when you returned to school?
My first job in school was from a friend’s brother I met while working in camp. Thankfully, we were both schoolmates in University of Calabar. She saw me after her brother told her how nice our barbeque was. She tasted it and promised I would do the same at her party holding later on in school. I got to school, and that was my first job. She got me her little kitchen and with the help of borrowed equipment, I prepared the barbeque, everyone enjoyed it and kept wondering who prepared it. When she asked me to come out, they were all shocked to know it was me, because I was quite popular in school and they never thought I could do barbeque.
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They all wanted me to grill at their next party, and that was it. Funny enough, I started this business with N2,500 that was the cost of buying a carton of chicken at the time. After that party, I met with my mentor who was also my landlord (may his soul rest in peace) and told him I had returned with a craft and I wanted a space to make Chicken and Chips. Thankfully, my hostel had a centre where the elite come to relax. My landlord obliged me on the condition that I give him four pieces of chicken laps every week, without making any monetary payment. This was a win-win for me, because I knew he wanted me to grow too; he has my interest at heart. I went on to set up my fire, and before I knew it, people started asking, ‘Oga, wetin you dey do there?’, ‘e don ready?’, ‘how much?’ With a carton of chicken at N2, 500, I sold one piece at N250, so I was making 10 times my capital.

What would you consider your breakthrough moment?
That should be my first major job. One of those coming to my hostel was a personal assistant to the Attorney General of Cross River State. He bought and gave some of my meats to his boss, the Attorney General, who liked it. Exactly six months from when I started, I got a notice to come see the Attorney General. That was during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. He (the president) was coming to open Obudu Cattle Ranch and I was to cater for him and all the senators and other dignitaries coming to the event, which was preferred as a grill party. I was also going to grill for him at the Executive Lounge. That was how I did my first major job without any staff. From then onward, I started making a lot of money so much that I stopped coming to Lagos because I was wanted at different parties across the state. I was grilling for top government functionaries at their events. I became so successful that when it was time to go for NYSC, I was advised by my landlord who doubled as one of my mentors, to opt for exemption. So, I took an exemption letter and went to horn my grilling skills. Barbecue wasn’t a big thing in Nigeria back then, so, I started taking online classes and getting certifications. I also got a degree as a Pitmaster.

As a fellow of the American Barbecue Association, would you say the industry here is as organised as it is in America?
We’ve not even tapped into the industry yet; everybody is just doing their thing— the regular thing they call Asun. It’s now people are beginning to understand why people eat medium rare, blue rare, well done, and so on. A lot of people don’t even know temperature. They don’t know what temperature is needed for certain kinds of meat or when to stop cooking and allow the meat to ‘rest’. When you watch Food Network, you will notice they open cold water to stop the cooking, and then the food still continues to cook for a while after that.
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What do you wish weren’t lacking in the industry here in Nigeria and how can that be addressed?
We lack so much. You know, abroad, it’s easier because they have ranches. There are people who deal in meats. Right now in Nigeria, we do not even have enough chicken to go round the country. So, basically, we are not eating organic foods. We have to import cartoned chickens and turkeys because we don’t have enough farms or ranches. Their meat abroad is quite different from ours because we do the nomadic setting kind of rearing while they do ranches. So, they breed the kinds of meat they want; softer and succulent. Meanwhile, ours walk from Kano to Lagos and all their bodies become very hard. There’s too much that we haven’t tapped into. If you look at KFC, for example, I’m sure the company has a farm of its own and is not using our farmers. Our farmers are not growing. This is because they understand chicken and know the kind or range of chicken they want, or how many months old chicken they want, but we don’t have that kind of farmers here who can supply the amount and type of chicken in demand. It’s a big market that people have not even tapped into.

You’ve catered to high profile events and international stars like Akon, Fat Joe, Keisha Cole, Eric Bernett, Kirk Franklin, and more; which of these was most challenging?
I think the one I did for the Commissioner of Health in Calabar many years ago. Apparently, we didn’t know from where kerosene entered the chicken. It was nice and everyone was enjoying it but it tasted of kerosene. It was my most embarrassing moment because that was an event organised by a Commissioner of Health.

Tell us about your debut book ‘Meet and Grill’?
It’s a book that has African, Asian and American fusion. I named it “Meat and Grill with Chef 8tte” because it’s going to end up as a TV show. I will go to different countries in Africa and across the world, meet with people and we will grill together. I will show them my own technique while they also show me theirs. That is what will give birth to the book eventually. It will be like a collection of my voyage all over Africa and the world.

What has been the most memorable part of your career so far?
When I cooked for Akon, Fat Joe, Wyclef Jean, Davido, Obasanjo, Peter Obi, Donald Duke, Liyel Imoke and many more. My memorable moment was, however, cooking for Akon because it was Akon that opened my perspective and gateway. Then the one that made me global, BBNaija Season four. That brought me more audience.
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What keeps you passionate about your work?
You know, a lot of people wondered why I haven’t worked in paid employment in 21 years but I look at them and also wonder. The business is wide. I’ve grilled everything except human being. It’s an industry you wake up each day and see new things happening. The job is never boring too; there are a lot of things you can do. I think these keep me passionate.

How do you spend your time when not grilling?
When not grilling, I like going out, especially walking. It opens my mind to seeing new things and perspectives. I like reading and watching tutorials about barbecue. I also like spending time with my family. When not grilling, I also enjoy spending time making culinary stars. For example, I was a participating judge and coach in the recently organised Street Foodz Naija. I also enjoy making guest appearances on TV shows.

What is your ambition for 8tte’s Barbecue and Cocktail?
I see my brand as an international brand. Funny enough, I’ve catered for international and local celebrities. So, I see my brand everywhere in the world, bringing Nigerian spices to the world. Currently, being in the South South for this long, I said let me share the experience with the South West— Lagos precisely. You know, Lagos is like the hub of entertainment and entertainment is not complete without food. So, now that I’m setting up in Lagos, I will be bringing our own fusion from the South South down to the South West.
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