THE FACE BEHIND THE FIRE
THE FACE BEHIND THE FIRE
Chef Sola is not your typical Chef. And Chopzandgrillz Smokehouse is not a typical restaurant. His path to the pit is one of courage, conviction, and a love for food that he simply refused to ignore.
A seasoned Economist and a fully qualified Chartered Accountant with the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK), Chef Sola spent over a decade navigating the corporate world in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. He was successful by every measure. But something was always missing.
So he made the decision that changed everything. He walked away from the corporate world and walked straight towards his passion. Fully and without hesitation.
After a decade in boardrooms and balance sheets, I came smoker, creating food that tells a story.
That something was food. Specifically, the craft of creating meals that made people stop mid-bite, close their eyes, and simply feel it. That passion never left him. It waited patiently, much like the proteins he now smokes.
Today, Chef Sola brings the same precision and analytical sharpness from his professional years into the smokehouse, but with fire, flavour, and real flair. He is a fitness enthusiast who has mastered the rare art of eating exceptionally well without compromise, and built a signature protein-forward menu philosophy that has become his culinary trademark.
His mission is clear: to build a Lagos-based market for world-class, thoughtfully prepared smoked proteins and to prove that Nigerian food culture belongs at the same table as the best in the world.