Nigeria’s growing embrace of Korean culture received a boost in Abuja as Victor Mac-Adonai emerged winner of the third edition of the Hansik cooking competition, becoming the first male champion since the contest’s inception.
The event, organised by the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria, brought together young culinary enthusiasts to explore the richness of Korean cuisine and its cultural heritage. It was held at the RED Dish Chronicles Culinary School in the Central Business District of Abuja.
The competition, themed “The Soul of Hansik,” attracted 20 participants who registered online and were assessed through multiple rounds of cooking and evaluation by professional chefs. The field was eventually narrowed to eight finalists.
At the conclusion of the contest, Favour Dajibesh placed third, while Oluwasegun Faith finished as runner-up. Mac-Adonai secured the top prize after impressing judges with his technical execution and cultural interpretation of a traditional Korean dish.
His winning entry, Doenjang Jjigae, a classic soybean paste stew widely regarded as a staple of Korean home cooking, embodied the theme of the competition.
Speaking after his victory, Mac-Adonai described the achievement as both personal and symbolic, noting his ambition to become the first male winner of the contest. He added that his dish reflected what is often described as the “soul” of Korean cuisine.
He also disclosed plans to expand his culinary pursuits by developing a Nigerian brand of Ramyun in collaboration with Korean production companies.
Director of the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria, Jeon Ju Ho, said the initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen cultural diplomacy between Nigeria and South Korea. He noted that food, music and youth-focused programmes are being used to deepen people-to-people connections.
According to him, the competition’s theme encouraged participants to explore the philosophical and cultural depth of Korean cuisine, adding that such events help address limited exposure to Korean food in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja where dedicated Korean restaurants remain scarce.
One of the judges, Godfrey Mario Odo, commended the contestants for their creativity, highlighting their ability to fuse Korean cooking techniques with locally sourced ingredients.
The event also featured performances by graduating students of the K-Pop Academy, underscoring the growing influence of Korean pop culture among Nigerian youth.
Observers note that the Hansik competition is steadily evolving into a platform for culinary innovation and cross-cultural exchange, as Nigerian chefs increasingly experiment with Korean flavours while adapting them to local tastes. Organisers expressed optimism that rising interest in Korean cuisine could spur future collaborations and potentially lead to the establishment of Korean restaurants in Nigeria.
