Zoe Adjonyoh facts for kids

Zoe Adjonyoh is a British writer and cook. She was born in 1977. Zoe is famous for creating "Zoe's Ghana Kitchen." This is a special kind of restaurant that pops up in different places. It is also the name of her first cookbook.

Zoe's Early Life and Cooking Journey

Zoe Adjonyoh was born in Essex, England. Her father was from Ghana, and her mother was from Ireland. They met in Kilburn, North London.

Zoe learned to cook the delicious foods from her father's home country, Ghana. In 2010, she set up a small stall. She sold tasty peanut stew at a local arts festival. People loved her food!

How Zoe's Ghana Kitchen Started

Because her food was so popular, Zoe decided to start a restaurant. She called it Zoe's Ghana Kitchen. It began right in her home in East London.

At first, Zoe was selling Ghanaian food to help pay for her Creative Writing master's degree. But her teacher at Goldsmiths, University of London gave her a great idea. The teacher suggested that focusing on her food business might help her writing even more.

Taking Ghanaian Food Around the World

Since then, Zoe has opened "pop-up" restaurants. These are temporary restaurants that appear in different places. She has had them in many parts of London. She has also taken her food to other cities, like Berlin and New York.

Zoe wants to share new tastes with people. She once said that her goal is to take people on a "food journey." She wants them to try new ingredients and flavors. It's like an adventure for your taste buds!

Zoe's Cookbook and Writing

Zoe Adjonyoh wrote a book in 2017. It is also called Zoe's Ghana Kitchen. This cookbook shares her unique recipes. It also tells fun stories about her experiences in Ghana.

The book mixes her Ghanaian father's cooking with her Irish mother's style. It even suggests music to listen to while you cook and eat! Zoe also wrote a short piece about her father. It was included in a book called New Daughters of Africa in 2019. This book was put together by Margaret Busby.

Awards and Special Recognition

Zoe Adjonyoh has received important awards for her work.

Culinary Iconoclast Award

In 2018, Zoe won the Culinary Iconoclast Award. This award celebrates people who are bold and original in the food world.

Judging the Great Taste Awards

Also in 2018, Zoe was asked to be a judge. She helped judge the Great Taste Awards. These awards are often called "the Oscars of the food and drink world." This shows how respected she is in the cooking community.