Meet The Chefs
William
Chilila
You may have seen him grace your screens and reach the semi-finals of MasterChef UK. If you did, you know what a talent William Chilila is. A playful, charming and gregarious character who gives his all and strives for perfection in every dish.
He opened the eagerly awaited Akoko to great acclaim. He has since moved on and is now on a new journey to explore his heritage through food and he invites you to come along with him as he celebrates his unique Zambian, South African, Ghanaian and British heritage through dishes like ‘Lamb Cutlet | Suya | Rosemary Jus’, ‘Yam Risotto’ and Scallop | Cauliflower | Hibiscus Caviar.
It goes without saying that we are beyond thrilled to have him as one of the chefs at The Future Plate.
Jermaine Cunningham
All chefs come from great teachers and Jermaine has had the pleasure of working with some of the greats in the industry. Formerly of Quay, Pastry Chef at Fera At Claridges, Head Pastry Chef at HKK London, and Group Pastry Chef at Frog by Adam Handling. It’s been quite the journey to becoming the chef he is today.
A chef that’s passionate about what he puts on a plate, where possible forages his own ingredients to then create dishes that are a record of his evolution. It’s no surprise that along a journey of many highs, he has also had the pleasure of cooking for the world leaders at the G7 in Carbis Bay Cornwall.
You can currently find him at Muse by Tom Aikens as the Head Pastry Chef. There is no better way to end a meal than with a signature dish by Jermaine.
Michelle
Trusselle
Caribbean food means good vibes and happy memories! If you’ve had the pleasure of experiencing one of Michelle’s supper club, then you can definitely attest to vibes you won’t likely experience at any other supper club and the memories you walk away with are definitely happy ones.
A past student of the renowned Westminster Kingsway College, she has gone on to work in restaurants like The Savoy London and Claridges Hotel. She is currently the Executive Chef and owner of Myristica, a London based supper club that celebrates Caribbean cuisine and presents it in a new and innovative way whilst paying homage to the traditional.
Her culinary identity is personal to her, she puts her soul into her food and her passion doesn’t go unnoticed, which is why the likes of Marcus Wearing and Monica Galetti sing her praise and not to mention her guests who not only love the food she creates, but also the person behind the dishes and all that she stands for.
Mussa
Fati
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are.” Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. In Mussa’s case it ought to be, tell me what you cook, and I will tell you who you are. A Senegalese griot telling stories of his heritage and culture through the dishes he creates and a true ambassador for African cuisine.
He comes from the culinary capital of Africa and it shows in his passion, his techniques and his undeniable talent to play with flavours and textures in innovative ways but always paying homage to tradition.
If he was to hang up his chef whites today it will already be a career that most will dream of in their lifetime. Formerly of The Hoxton Hotel, Soho House London, Oliver Peyton, Kew Gardens, Royal Academy of Arts and The British Library. Quite the line-up and his culinary journey continues as the Executive Chef at The Ned London and one of the pioneering chefs writing the new history of African cuisine.
Opeoluwa Odutayo
Sometimes the most talented and brilliant minded aren’t quite aware of the gift they possess. Opy is one of the brightest young chefs emerging on the scene and she is just not aware of how amazing she is. Soon after finishing her course at Westminster Kingsway College she was working at Launceston Place and was baking rice soufflé on Sunday Brunch for guests like Jamie Oliver.
At the tender age of 25 she has set the bar quite high already and has taken the brave and courageous approach to explore and cook dishes of her heritage and build a business with a partner who mirrors her vision and passion for where African cuisine should be.
Their dessert brand, Ice Cream and Ting celebrates African and Caribbean flavours like roasted plantains, fura (spiced millet flour porridge) and kenkey in the range of Ice creams they offer.
The Future Plate is all about championing young talents like Opy and we are humbled to have a future great in our midst.
Brian
Mwangi
Brian is part of the group of young chefs who are standing on the shoulders of those who came before and are poised to take African cuisine to a whole new level. Using his professional training and priceless experience from working in restaurants like Typing Room, Frog By Adam Handling, Carousel London and currently at the 2 Michelin star Da Terra Restaurant. The food he creates are beyond his years and constantly evolving as he pushes the boundaries of what African cuisine can be.
In any great success story, timing plays a part and the timing is just right for African & Caribbean cuisine to take centre stage. Get ready to taste the evolution of cuisine & culture brought to you by the likes of Brian.