Plant-Based West African Cooking Class

Discover the naturally plant-rich side of West African cooking in Chef Dumebi’s private Stanmore kitchen.



1.5 hours

Class size 1 to 10 (public classes), 1 to 6
  £55 (PayPal Pay in 3 available)
London Activities
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Food & Drink
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Cooking Experience Gifts
Build a West African Flavour Base

Build a West African Flavour Base

Learn how onions, peppers, aromatics and seasoning create depth before the main ingredients go into the pot.


Discover Nigerian Soups & Stews

Discover Nigerian Soups & Stews

Explore the naturally plant-rich dishes already found across West African kitchens.


Cook with Egusi

Cook with Egusi

Learn how melon seed becomes a rich vegetable sauce or soup, served with yam, sweet potato or another seasonal accompaniment.


Explore Beans, Plantain & Palm Oil

Explore Beans, Plantain & Palm Oil

Understand some of the ingredients and combinations that make West African plant-based food so satisfying.


Cook by Flavour, Not Just Recipe

Cook by Flavour, Not Just Recipe

Taste, adjust and learn to recognise what a dish needs as you cook.


Gather at Chef Dumebi’s Table

Gather at Chef Dumebi's Table

Sit down together afterwards to eat what you’ve prepared and continue the conversation around food, culture and technique.


Step into Chef Dumebi’s Private Stanmore Kitchen & Table for a hands-on exploration of West African plant-based cooking in London -- bold, generous food built from vegetables, pulses, grains, seeds, herbs and aromatics.
West African cooking has always had a deeply plant-rich side. In this class, Chef Dumebi takes you beyond simply replacing meat or dairy and shows you how flavour is built from the ground up.
You’ll learn how peppers, tomatoes, onions, chilli, ginger, garlic, palm oil, beans, melon seeds and other familiar West African ingredients work together to create dishes with depth, balance and character.
Using Chef Dumebi’s Base → Build → Finish approach, you’ll discover how to develop a strong flavour foundation, taste and adjust as you cook, and understand why a dish works rather than simply following a recipe.
Along the way, Chef Dumebi shares the cultural context and everyday food traditions behind the dishes, drawing from the flavours and cooking experiences that have shaped her work across West Africa and the UK.
Whether you’re vegan, exploring plant-based eating or simply curious about West African food, you’ll leave with techniques you can use confidently in your own kitchen.
At the end of the session, we gather around the table to enjoy what we’ve cooked together.
Sample menu:
Each class features a carefully selected menu, which may change with the season and the focus of the session.
  • Spiced Black-Eyed Bean Cakes
  • Golden bean cakes served with a fresh pepper relish.
  • Smoky Vegetable Jollof Rice & Roasted Plantain
  • Egusi and greens.
  • Palm oil beans and sweet potato.
  • Zobo cooler.
Please note: The menu may vary from class to class, allowing Chef Dumebi to work with seasonal ingredients and introduce different dishes from the West African plant-based kitchen.
What you'll get
  • Recipe notes.
  • All ingredients.
  • Hands-on tuition with Chef Dumebi.
  • A complete meal to enjoy.
  • Introduction to less familiar West African ingredients.
Read more details   
Knowledge required
No previous cooking experience is required.
What to bring
  • Just bring yourself, an appetite and a willingness to get involved.
  • Comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes are recommended, and you may wish to bring a container if you would like to take any leftovers home.
Suitable for

This class is great for individuals and couples as well as for a date idea, team building activity, birthday or hen do.

This experience would also be a unique gift for her, gift for mum, Xmas gift or gift for couples.

Location

Stanmore

Exact location is masked for privacy. You'll automatically get the specific address after booking.

Plant-Based West African Cooking Class location
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Your teacher

Samantha's Bistro London
Samantha's Bistro London

5.0 (10)
female Women-owned

Chef Dumebi is a chef, educator and creator of The Jollof System — her signature Base → Build → Finish approach to understanding flavour, technique and great Jollof.
Drawing on a culinary journey shaped by Lagos, Lomé, Accra and London, she teaches West African food through culture, memory and technique, helping students understand why a dish works rather than simply following a recipe.
Her classes explore Nigerian party-style Jollof, the foundations of West African flavour, regional dishes, plant-based cooking and contemporary approaches to familiar foods.
Expect bold food, practical technique, plenty of conversation and a relaxed, hands-on atmosphere where complete beginners are welcome.
At the heart of Chef Dumebi’s teaching is a simple belief: understand the base, and you begin to understand the dish.
Beyond the classroom, she is a hospitality consultant, writer and culinary entrepreneur whose work explores African food culture, restaurant development and the future of hospitality.
Chef Dumebi | Creator of The Jollof System | Where Culture Meets Cuisine
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