The Story of Adebayo Roberts & His Asun Story
Nigerians In Diaspora News@nigerians-in-diaspora-news
3 months ago
Last week, the video of gentleman selling roasted corn live in Woolwich, London, United Kingdom went viral. He was heard saying "if you want to eat roasted corn and you're in London, please come to Woolwich. It's happening right now" A new interview has surfaced and he is also an Asun seller
Here's the summary of the interview between him and My Tasty Naija Channel :
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So we thought, let's go look for him in Woolwich, and guess what? We found him! Now, what is your name?
My name is Adebayo Roberts
Nice one, thank you. That video we saw was amazing. They were harassing you a bit, and you were harassing them back. I said, "Make I prove African." And lo and behold, we came looking for you. When we found you, we discovered that you are not just selling corn; you are also known for your asun, which is spicy barbecued Nigerian goat meat. How are you doing?
Fine, thank you, sir.
We're here to learn your story. Do you regularly set up the corn outside, or was it just a one-off thing for that day?
I normally do it for parties. But that very day was just the first day of summertime in Woolwich, so I decided to do something funny to prove myself as an African boy. People love to eat corn.
Was it the first time you were doing it?
Yes, it was my first time roasting corn outside. I was just trying to make fun of myself and make people happy. I didn't know it was being recorded until I found myself on the internet.
So, we saw that same video and thought it was interesting. When I came here, I asked around, and they said, "Oh, you mean you're looking for the asun man?" And I found out that asun is actually your main thing. How did you start making asun? Did you learn it in the UK?
No, I didn't learn it in the UK. I'm from Ondo Town, where asun originates. We do it continuously for parties, and I grew up into it. When I wanted to come to this country, I decided to bring African cuisine to the UK. I've been doing this for 15 years now.
Is this something you do professionally?
Yes, I do it for parties and events. I can go anywhere, even to America. I just came back from Cyprus. I also supply restaurants.
How would you rate your asun out of 10?
Until you taste it, it's 100%. Many people do asun, but mine is very different. It's a local asun, that's why we call it Austic Village Kitchen. It's not like restaurant food where you use toothpicks; you eat it like a village man. We use real spices, not powdered ones. If you ask for corn, we give you real corn, not sweet corn.
So, you sell the asun, corn, and other grills on request?
Yes, we do it on request. Here is like our kitchen. We do it for parties and events. If you place an order, we can do it. We also do fish.
What's your plan now? You are established, you've been doing this for 15 years. What's next?
My dream is very high, and I need support. I'm using this opportunity to ask African people and everyone else to support me. I want people to taste my food so they will know if it's good or not.
I haven't tasted it yet, but I will today. For those who don't know, asun is a very popular Nigerian dish. What type of meat is ideal for making asun?
It's really goat meat. We call it mutton in Yoruba. It's quite different from lamb and sheep. It's not too soft, it can stay on the fire longer, and it requires a lot of fire to bring out the flavor. I use only goat meat, not lamb.
You've heard the story, now come taste it with us.
Taste Test
Here we go! We're here with the board members of the Asun Village Kitchen. When you do asun, it's a bit hotter than other meat products. Do you have a mild version for non-Nigerians?
Yes, I can do mild asun with the same flavor and effect.
Let's try it. I'm going to do the honorable thing and taste it.
This is the story of Adebayo Roberts, and his journey making asun with us. If you're in London and want to try authentic Nigerian asun, go to Woolwich and visit Asun Stick Village Kitchen.
#Asun
#London
#Corn
#Agbado
