Tomi Makanjuola is a London-based Nigerian chef and caterer who teaches vegan cooking classes under the guise of The Vegan Nigerian. She was born and raised in Nigeria and moved to the UK when she was 14. In her family’s culture, there’s a strong sense that a meal is not complete without meat. Nevertheless, at the age of 21, Tomi made the choice to become vegan – both for health reasons and her love of animals. Today, after having written several books and amassing a growing online following, Tomi is showing the world that plant-based food doesn’t have to be bland but, instead, can be full of colour and flavour.

Post-filming update: Despite the unprecedented times the world is experiencing, Tomi is grateful to have her immediate family close, healthy and safe. Unfortunately, a number of her catering events were cancelled, including a major food festival that she’d been working toward for several months. Tomi has balanced moments of financial anxiety with an appreciation for the moments of pause that the lockdown has given her. The UK’s stay-at-home order has pushed Tomi to think creatively about her business model, leading her to conduct more online events and cooking classes. She is keeping busy by creating and sharing new recipes on her website and social media channels.