Emmanuel Ukudolo l Sunday, May 01, 2022
ONIRU, Victoria Island, Lagos – The annual food fiesta, the GTCO Food and Drink Festival, which Nigerians from all walks of life look forward to finally kicked off on Saturday, April 30, 2022 at the GT Centre, Oniru, Lagos.
The three day event, holding at Plot 1, Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Lagos, is coming up for the 5th time since the debut edition in 2016.
The GTCO Food and Drink Festival, which has become a definition of an ideal market, brought together not just the usual sellers as you would find in the day to day market, but sellers who have been able to raise the bar by putting creativity into the stuff they have put up for exhibition at the cozy GT centre where the event is taking place.
Here you find fruit juice of various kinds ready to be served, yam flour, plantain flour, including unripe plantain flour, Cassava flour, even to some well established local items like Kulikuli, Grandma’s Kokoro, Garri Ijebu, Elubo Lafun, Yellow Ijebu and Oat flour with a lot of refinement, almost all certified by NAFDAC.
There are also dried Iru(locust bean) and locust bean powder and dry Ofada rice well packaged. Speaking on some of the products, Elizabeth Owe-Oladepo, whose services include production and processing, packaging and distribution and export of agro-produce said her organisation 07foods opted to produce dry Locust bean and locust powder since there are some who are not able to cope with the foul aroma of the raw Locust bean in as much as they love to have it in their meal as a result of its unrivaled benefits.
Local research has shown that locust bean helps to promote good sight and drives away hypertension and diseases conditions like stroke and diabetes.” It also contains tannins, astringent substances found in many plants. Foods rich in tannins are often recommended for treatment of diarrhoea.
“The portion of carob that is made into locust bean gum contains soluble fibre in the galactomannan family. Like other forms of soluble fibre, it has shown potential benefit for enhancing weight loss and controlling blood sugar levels”, says The Guardian.
There is also a lot to eat and drink, with lots of chefs well arranged to the north as you step into the arena offering all sorts of delicacies from local meals to intercontinental dishes.
For those who might be dazed after having a taste of some of the dishes on offer and filling inadequate when it comes to meeting up with the standard exhibited, the Master class sessions offered at the GTCO Food and Drink Festival brings you up to pall without paying a dime. All that is required is just to arrive on time and check into the hall before the door is closed for recording of the master classes.
Among the master chefs enrolled for the 2022 edition are Aldo Zilli, De’bora Pagni, Calum Fraklin, Yui Miles, Gason Nelson,Dipna Anand, Daryl Shular, Alberti Twins, Femi Oyediran, Ed Baines, Rico Torres & Diego Galicia. Others are Eden Hagos and Moe Carson among others, all these experts offering their knowledge, skills and experience for free courtesy, GTCO.
The children are also not left out in the fun, since the organizers also made provision for play arena for the kids to catch their own fun.
Outside as you step into the arena, you are dazed with grilled meat and chickens well spiced with nice music on the sideline to help you enjoy your meal in open under the local shades.
For the foreigners coming into the country from very cold region, the open arena with elaborate comfortable sitting arrangement offers unique opportunity for sunbath as you enjoy your meal unhindered.
Besides, the meals, the organisation is superb, offering very decent and secure parking lot with ease, driving in and out of the venue without any harassment here in Oniru, Victoria Island Lagos. It’s indeed another plus for the GTCO family. The three day event closes on Monday, May 2nd, 2022.
