ValueJet, APCN move to boost Nigerian cuisine with inflight catering

Nigeria’s domestic carrier, ValueJet and the Association of Professional Chefs Nigeria (APCN) have entered into a partnership aimed at promoting Nigerian cuisine, improving the presentation of indigenous food and expanding the commercial opportunities available to professional chefs through aviation and international culinary events.

At the partnership which was announced recently at ValueJet office in Lagos, the airline’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Omololu Majekodunmi, and APCN national president, Dr Eric Mekwuye, outlined plans to leverage air transport and professional culinary expertise to promote Nigeria’s gastronomic heritage.

Majekodunmi described the partnership as the beginning of new milestones for both organisations, expressing confidence that it would contribute to the development of onboard cuisine and strengthen the airline’s engagement with the culinary profession.

He said ValueJet expected the quality of cuisine served aboard its aircraft to improve as the collaboration progressed, adding that the airline was proud to work with professionals capable of bringing greater expertise and creativity to its food service offering.

The ValueJet chief executive also expressed optimism about the long-term prospects of the arrangement, suggesting that closer collaboration between airlines and chefs could create opportunities for a more specialised approach to in-flight catering.

He disclosed that ValueJet had established partnerships with other organisations, including the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and other organisations, describing the agreement with APCN as another step in its partnership strategy.

Dr Mekwuye, in his remarks, said the association’s immediate priority was to represent Nigeria at the West African Food Festival (WAFFES), an international culinary event in The Gambia scheduled for October 15 to 21, 2026.

Mekwuye described Nigerian chefs as custodians of the country’s food and gastronomic heritage, noting that the delegation would use the event to showcase the diversity of indigenous Nigerian cuisine and demonstrate the professional value of culinary practice.

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According to him, the delegation will present dishes representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones rather than limiting its display to popular meals such as jollof rice.

He said the chefs would also wear traditional attire and specially branded chef jackets bearing the identities of APCN and ValueJet, while displaying the Nigerian flag and other organisational insignia as part of the country’s cultural representation.

Mekwuye said the association was determined to use the international engagement to change public perceptions of professional cooking, particularly among parents and young people who might regard a career in the culinary industry as less prestigious than other professions.

He argued that professional cheffing could provide access to international travel, accommodation, media engagements and official functions, demonstrating that the profession offered opportunities beyond conventional restaurant and hotel kitchens.

The APCN president said the partnership with ValueJet would help the association pursue its international engagement objectives and expand the visibility of Nigerian culinary.

He also disclosed plans to strengthen the relationship between the airline and the wider West African culinary community through the WAFFES, which he said originated from discussions between Nigerian and Ghanaian chefs in 2017 before being formalised in 2018