Aisha Wahab and Stephen Oyelakin (cousins) are opening Eatwell African Restaurant & Lounge in Philadelphia’s Old City. The restaurant will have 65 seats and serve lunch and dinner seven days a week. The partners will officially open on July 30.
Eatwell African Restaurant & Lounge combines African soul food with traditional Nigerian cuisine, incorporating innovative twists from Chef Wahab’s family recipes. Chef Wahab began her culinary journey in the Northern Region of Nigeria by working in her family restaurant and learning her mother's recipes.
Chef Wahab, 28 years old in 1994, came to the United States on vacation. He ended up staying and cooking and catering for friends and clients throughout New York and North Jersey. He also took the position of executive chef at a busy childcare facility. She opened her first African Restaurant called "EatWell" in 2005. This eventually evolved into Eatwell African Cuisine. In 2015, Wahab relocated Eatwell African Cuisine from Irvington to New Jersey, where it still operates.
Stephen Oyelakin moved from Nigeria to New York City in 1996. He worked in New York for the United Nations and other non-government organizations. In 1998, he went to Philadelphia for his Masters of Information Technology Leadership at LaSalle University. Oyelakin began working in Information Technology in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in 1998.
He is the Vice President for Information Security Risk Oversight of Wells Fargo Bank. He holds several certifications, including Certified Information Security Auditor, Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer, and Certified Identity Risk Manager, and is a Chief Information Security Officer University graduate. The passion and expertise of his cousin Aisha for food inspired him to enter the restaurant industry.
Chef Wahab expanded her business to Philadelphia in the summer of 2008, thanks to Oyelakin. Oyelakin, who was involved in the entertainment industry in The City of Brotherly Love since 1998, recognized the need for an African restaurant that served dine-in customers. After recognizing Chef Wahab's quality of food and work ethic, he encouraged his cousin to expand his business to serve the community.
The menu will include appetizers, entrees, snacks influenced by Chef Wahab’s travels worldwide, and traditional Nigerian dishes from his family. The menu is an expanded version of Chef Wahab's location in Irvington, New Jersey.
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