In the burgeoning landscape of Nigerian fine dining, one name has become synonymous with luxury, intentionality, and the global redefinition of African cuisine.
Abiola Akanji, known professionally as Chef Stone, has charted a remarkable trajectory from a curious child in his mother’s kitchen to becoming one of the most influential culinary entrepreneurs on the continent. His story is not merely one of personal success but of a sustained mission to elevate African ingredients and techniques to a world-class standard.
The foundations of Chef Stone’s career were laid during his formative years, watching his mother cook, moments he describes as special and deeply influential in sparking his initial interest in food.
This early passion was later complemented by formal education; he earned a degree in Business Management from London Metropolitan University, a decision made to equip himself with the knowledge necessary to manage his future career effectively. While in London, he immersed himself in the professional culinary world, working in several four-star and five-star restaurants, an experience that honed his skills and refined his craft.
Seeking to deepen his expertise further, he pursued professional training at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, an experience that provided him with a strong foundation in classical techniques and broadened his culinary perspective.
Upon returning to Nigeria, Chef Stone encountered a world of new ingredients and spices that inspired a period of intense experimentation. He began documenting and sharing his culinary creations on social media, plating his dishes on a set of red plates gifted to him by his mother.
The striking visuals caught the attention of followers, one of whom famously commented, “this guy and his red dish chronicles,” a phrase that would become the enduring name of his first major venture.
What began as a small cooking school operated from his home kitchen gradually evolved into Red Dish Chronicles, now one of Nigeria’s premier culinary schools with locations in both Lagos and Abuja, dedicated to producing the next generation of African chefs.
His entrepreneurial vision, however, extended far beyond education. In 2022, he launched The Burgundy in Abuja, a fine-dining establishment conceived as the first true Pan-African restaurant in Nigeria. The restaurant’s philosophy is rooted in sourcing ingredients exclusively from the African soil and transforming them into dishes that are bold, refined, and unexpected.
Chef Stone spent years travelling across the continent, learning local cooking methods and street food traditions to bring authentic, diverse flavours back to his kitchen.
The audacity of his vision was perhaps most vividly demonstrated by a pre-launch Valentine’s Day dinner priced at one thousand dollars per couple. While the event sparked considerable online debate, it served its intended purpose: to showcase that a dining experience in Nigeria could stand alongside the finest in the world, complete with a meticulously crafted twelve-course meal and wine pairing.
For Chef Stone, this was a strategic move to challenge perceptions and place Nigerian fine dining on the global map, a necessary step towards achieving recognition such as a Michelin star for the region.
His business acumen has led to the creation of a diverse portfolio of ventures, including Truck Central, described as West Africa’s first food truck park, and Red Dish Consulting, which focuses on building food trucks and setting up restaurants for other entrepreneurs.
Beyond his restaurants and schools, Chef Stone is an author of several cookbooks, including “The Bar Bible” and “Chef Stone Takes Africa,” which offer insights into his culinary philosophy and techniques. He is also a committed philanthropist, channelling resources into hunger relief, skill acquisition, and education through the Red Dish Foundation.
A defining principle of Chef Stone’s work is his belief that passion alone is insufficient for success; it must be paired with determination, resilience, and hard work. This philosophy of intentional craftsmanship naturally aligned him with partners who share a similar dedication to heritage and quality.
His collaboration with The Balvenie whisky on the launch of their rare sixty-year-old expression in Nigeria was a testament to this synergy. For the event, he designed a menu that told a story through flavour, carefully pairing dishes to complement the whisky’s complexity and celebrate the artistry inherent in both crafts.
For Chef Stone, luxury is defined not by exclusivity or expense, but by intentionality. It is the thought, precision, and artistry that go into creating something extraordinary, from the sourcing of ingredients to the final presentation.
Through his restaurants, his schools, his writing, and his philanthropic work, Abiola Akanji is building a legacy that honours African culinary heritage while simultaneously pushing its boundaries. He is not just cooking food; he is crafting experiences and creating a lasting infrastructure for the appreciation and advancement of African gastronomy for generations to come.
