On arriving at the school, he made his strongest mark through sport, where he discovered a characteristic shared by those who often find themselves entering new horizons – he realised that he loved to lead.“ Captaining the school’ s soccer 1st XI felt far more satisfying than being Head of House – that one was for my parents,” he proclaims. It is not new knowledge that the sports pitches of our great schools tend to be associated with the creation of great leaders. But it is often the case that the calibre of the leader, and where and whom they lead, embodies the ethos of the school. It is that leadership that encouraged Emeka to start his hustle as a young businessman so early in life. The consolidation of the leadership skills learned at Winchester, along with a love and respect for his Nigerian roots, gave him the perfect strength to be able to take on the never-ending balance that restaurant entrepreneurs start off with, the one poised between the full bowl of jollof quinoa and the less full early bottom lines. The vision he shares with his sister, through the food, is to redefine how the British public identifies with Nigeria, introducing a country that is filled with self-confidence and strong cultural staples, celebrated by millions. The chef is often the most subtle of politicians, and there is no doubt that there is a brave and brilliant scope to the vision that Emeka has for the brand, and what it can do for the wider community.“ If you step up,” he says,“ there is no ceiling.” One needs only to scope through Chuku’ s social media pages to see how popular the brand has already become in a few months of operation. The international culinary scene offered in major cosmopolitan cities demands more than just post-dated memories of the exotic. For those who hail from international communities, restaurants such as Chuku’ s invite the public into the very heart of a home – the kitchen – in order to receive a full engagement, through all senses, into what is meant by home in such cultures. In Britain the fusion of cultures that young men like Emeka have experienced, between a Lagos kitchen and grubbing hall, is still very new. And it can either be a narrative that leads to conflict or it is one that can be embraced and defined by young leaders like Emeka.“ Owning and crafting our own narrative – being that bridge – is why I do what I do,” he says with pride.
The Wykeham Journal 2016 27