Dept of Culture

Nigerian food with Ayo Balogun, owner of Dept of Culture and Radio Kwara in Brooklyn.

“I wanted people to understand what my relationship with the food is, and that's basically what I try to describe. I'm not gonna describe what somebody's grandmother did. I can't do that. But I can tell you about me eating eba and watching Voltron. That is my experience.”

 

The tasting menu at Dept of Culture features cuisine from north central Nigeria

“Trying to create an experience was important, but trying to be honest to the food was very important, too…Everybody only knew Jollof rice. So all the fufu, the okele. That's what I was going to serve.”

Fish Pepper Soup — this delicate broth packs a solid punch of heat that mellows out quickly. It's a Nigerioan classic that Ayo elevates with a tilapia filet and roe.

Wara Cheese in Red Sauce — this fresh cowsmilk cheese was so soft, like a blend between fresh mozzarella and ricotta. It was served in a smoky, peppery red sauce.

Abula — This Nigerian dish is normally served as a trio of soups—Ewedu, which is made from jute leaves; Gbegiri, a bean soup; and a spicy red stew called Ata Din Din. All of it is served with Amala or pounded yam.   Ayo's take brings everything into one bowl and his red sauce is packed with smoked herring and crawfish for a smoky flavor.

Puff Puff in Guava Sauce—these soft fried donuts were a staple of Ayo's childhgood. The sweet guava sauce is a nod to the trees he often climbed as a boy.

 

Ayo's essentialist kitchen

After dealing with eviction, car car crashes, and a global pandemic, Ayo built Dept of Culture with a different mindset: everything insde can be easily moved out. His entire four-course dinner is cooked on induction burners and toaster ovens. You'd never now, but that Ayo is a big advocate for a tiny kitchen.

“I'm like, which other way can you do this? Induction burners make sense. The toaster oven. I was gonna call it a minimalist kitchen…[but then I was like] This is an essentialist kitchen. That's cool.”

“I really, really wish people would come and look at what we've done here with the restrictions we have. You can cook food from any part of the world without breaking the bank.”