West African cuisine is taking its rightful place in the spotlight once again as Chase Sapphire Reserve unveils a campaign film featuring Michael B. Jordan and Nigerian Chef, Tolu Eros, which puts an end to one of the longest debates in West Africa – who makes the best jollof rice.
Released on Monday, April 8, in consumer markets across the country while reaching global audiences via social media and YouTube, “A Taste of West Africa,” is directed by Academy Award-nominated cinematographer and director Bradford Young.
Features alongside Jordan and Eros are notable West African talent including ESPN Analyst and WNBA player Chiney Ogwumike, former NBA player Pops Mensah-Bonsu, musician and producer Sarz (whose song “Happiness” is also included), actor and DJ Tony Okungbowa, actor Michael Oloyede, creative executive Ugo Mozie II, and stylist Mobolaji Dawodu, who also styled the shoot with looks from African designers like Studio One Eighty Nine.
Leading the conversation for the evening, Chef Eros is seen presenting one of his curated experiences for the evening, which concludes with jollof rice. Soon after, Jordan asks, “So, what jollof rice is the best?”
Those familiar with why this question is heavily debated know that the answer can be long, complicated, and deliciously subjective.
Last year, UNESCO settled the debate on the origins of jollof rice, officially recognizing Senegal as the West African country where the dish originated from over Ghana or Nigeria. Ceebu jën, as it is called there, dates back to colonial rule between 1860 and 1940 when whole grain rice was replaced by broken rice, which was eventually used to create jollof rice by the Senegalese people.
Jollof rice was also recognized as an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
So, in “A Taste of West Africa,” how does Chef Eros answer the question? You’ll have to watch the film below to see.
Meanwhile, we caught up with him regarding the significance of a global leader like Chase amplifying the narrative of West African cuisine and jollof rice.
It is so wonderful to see African cuisine amplified on a national stage like this with a company such as Chase. As a Nigerian, how significant is this for you?
This is highly significant, not just for me and my team but also for the culture. We set out in 2016 to put West African cuisine on the global food map. We did so by paying closer attention to the quality of ingredients, the methods of preparation, and the style of presentation, and then went ahead to host dinners across the world showcasing the diversity of the cuisine and richness of the culture.
In 2021, we moved to Los Angeles and opened the private dining room in Hollywood in 2022 to further push the envelope. At the dining tables, we found that people (West Africans in particular) kept asking. “Which jollof rice is this? Or “Who makes the best jollof rice?” Some will even go as far as saying, “Nigeria/Ghana/Togo/Senegal/Cameroon/etc., makes the best jollof rice.”
I found that to be hugely distracting and also dividing. As such, we created the unity jollof rice. We fused the best of the three main jollof worlds: The Ghanaian with their fragrant rice (jasmine or basmati), the Senegalese with the use of vegetable stock and plantains, and the Nigerian with the infusion of smoke, burnt bits, and spice.
By V Sheree Williams
