You know how I sometimes try to go dramatic in my writings; that is what is doing me this morning as I join my big brother Victor Ogakwu to celebrate Yellow Chilli at 23
Let me confess that I might not be writing at my best since this write-up was conceived very artificially with the hope that I would get a free bowl of its world-renowned Seafood Okro for my efforts
Yes, Yellow Chilli, that beautiful restaurant promoted by aristocratic-looking Victor Ogakwu and two of his friends, Ebere Shogbola and my biggest bro of them all, Collins Chikeluba, owns the main recipe of the ever-popular Seafood Okro
Since they dropped that luscious, rich soup on Lagosians, many counterfeit versions have appeared all over the landscape
From the biggest, most luxurious restaurants to the roadside mama put, even the amala joints, you see various versions of caricature Seafood Okro
But none beats the sanguine taste of that made in Yellow Chilli
The richness envelopes you as the slow drawl of the okra marinates on your palate, giving you a wholesome feeling
As you slice open the Shrimps that come with it and expertly lay them on the morsel of oat or pounded yam, you now take your time to garnish it with the little periwinkle that dances within the soup. Then slowly move it towards your mouth, where your tonsils start secreting eager spittle waiting to take home the warm spices that envelope the soup; you marvel at such expertise that must have gone into making this divine, delightful soup.
Yes, Yellow Chilli is 23years old this year, and it’s no wonder that a small passion-driven restaurant that was started with about four people now serves over 600 people daily in each of its two outlets
I once sat with Victor at the Isaac John outlet admiring his ‘spoots’ – the man’s style is something else, and asked him
Oga, the food dey take too long to come out, and without even blinking, he replies – anybody wey no fit wait, no be our customer. The food must take at least 20 minutes to be ready, he added
True, the wait is always justified.
Why won’t you wait for that heavenly jollof Fiesta?
Ohh my God, that was my very first meal at Yellow Chilli some 5 years ago
Don’t let me even start to describe it cos you will beat me by the time I have finished
Yellow Chilli is that brand that impacted the market in a very unique way, and its major legacy is its unplanned trigger that has led many entrepreneurs to push to replicate its success
So today, you see so many restaurants struggling to replicate the magic of Yellow Chilli, some averagely succeeding and others failing woefully
While they struggle, plans have reached an advanced stage to take the brand to a different market class -for those who do not have the aristocratic posturing to wait for Victor’s 20 minutes but still need to sniff and taste the aroma of Yellow Chilli’s magic.
He announces to me the Yellow Chilli Express, which should be coming up in two other locations in Lagos and in Abuja anytime from now.
But in all, Victor sits at one corner of his Ikeja outlet, arrogantly throwing his peanuts into his mouth and looking around him as Nigerians pour his delicacies into their mouth all with a smile and says to me-
Edgar, we don try, and I reply, egbon, give me food.
Kai
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: July 22, 2026
