FUN FACT: Dr Ikenna Megwara wants to perfect the Saxophone.

Pendical’s Interview Session with Dr Ikenna Megwara/Chef_megzz

Can we meet you? 

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Good day. I do this with great pleasure and humility. I am one to be very supportive and fond of such initiatives. I am indeed humbled by your reaching out to me. Thank you very much. My name is Ikenna Megwara, a medical doctor by training; close friends fondly call me Megzz or Dr. Megzz. I was born and brought up in Delta State, in the southern part of Nigeria, but I’m originally from Abia State. So I guess I can say I was influenced by and touched with diverse cultures growing up.

Kindly tell us a bit of your academic background.

Dr Ikenna Megwara: I had the great opportunity of attending schools that were challenging, I must say. For primary education, I attended International Unity School, Edjeba Warri; for secondary education, I attended Igbinedion Education Center, Benin city, Edo State, which was an interesting time for me. I particularly remember this because I also remember being a very quiet and shy student, but the friends amd staff I met there brought out the best in me, or at least helped me find it. Then I attended Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia, where I studied medicine and obtained my MD.

If you were to describe yourself in three words, what would it be?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Just three words wouldn’t be enough (not that i intend sounding vain) but at this particular instance, I would say passionate, determined and caring.

Please sir, what inspired the flair for food?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Well, initially, I would say I wasn’t concerned or bothered about what or how I ate, but part of my awoken consciousness was due to the environment I found myself in. As a foreigner, I was always wondering what else I could possibly make that wouldn’t be the same things I was eating, because at that point I had already lived in Georgia for about 3 years. So I would say the motivation was from my desire to have a diverse diet but the flair, that was born out of my love for creativity and invention.

How long have you had this interest, Dr. Megwara?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: To be honest, I have always known I could make a decent meal, or at least I knew my way around the kitchen, but like I said, the interest to do more about it would be going on 4 years now.

Did you ever take a culinary course or it’s all self-taught?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Oh no.  I never had an official culinary training of any sort, although I intend to do so when I have the time. all I have done so far has been self-taught and from practices. Trust me I’ve had my fair share of burnt lasagna…hahah

Sir, as a doctor, how do you juggle between the chef life and that of a medical doctor?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Frankly speaking, I really don’t see how to separate the two. Maybe because my cooking is not separated from my daily life. When I get back from hospital duties and I need to fix lunch or dinner, I make sure to properly cook it and my creative cap comes on. Most of the pictures everyone can find on my instagram page were just meals I made for lunch or dinner of which i decided to take photographs. So I find it’s not something to seek a specific time to do – the times I am hungry are enough. Moreover, they both come from a place of passion so they are one and the same to me. But in the case of branding and my home-delivery business, that, I can say, was quite challenging so I just decided to do that on my weekends or take special orders.

The average African/Nigerian mentality is that the kitchen is meant for the woman. What is your take on this?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: I find that logic quite funny. And even though a couple of eyebrows might be raised when they hear ‘this is a man and he cooks’ or ‘he is a chef’, that is their own ignorance to overcome. As long as a man has the anatomical physiology to feel hunger, he should be able to know how to feed himself. The world has moved on from that patriarchal mentality; the few who are still there should keep up.

Have you ever been discouraged by anyone concerning this above question, if yes, what was your response?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Not at all.

Is food all about what you do at a leisure time or commercial-based?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: I would say it’s both ways for me now. It started off as a hobby for me; then when I sensed the recognition it was attaining, I commercialized it and started the Chef Megzz brand.

Have you worked with any company as a chef?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: No, I have not. I would love to experience the thrill and adrenaline of being in a busy kitchen though. I always love watching shows such as “Hell’s kitchen” and “Top chef”. They make me wonder how I would fare in such situations.

Do you have plans of opening a restaurant?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Yes, eventually I plan on owning my own restaurant. It might not necessarily be me as the head chef. I have this plan to diversify my business portfolios and I strongly believe medical doctors should as well think outside medicine. So far, I’ve had a couple of people reach out to me with their plans of opening a restaurant in Abuja, asking if I could help start the project. So definitely there is something for doctors out there looking beyond medicine.

Do you think you work best on your own or in a team?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: From experience, I noticed in the kitchen I work best alone. And I think this has largely to do with how I imagine the recipe in my head. Not everyone would get and interpret your ideas exactly how you plan it. I love paying attention to details, so I just observed it was much more efficient I do my cooking myself. But as doctor, I enjoy the team work in the care of a patient and I always look forward to learning from my colleagues.

What is the accomplishment you’re most proud of in your career?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: If I’m trying to be specific on one particular thing, well I would say it was when I received a message from a man from Botswana, stating how he saw a few of my dishes online and would appreciate my sharing some insights and recipes with him, because he was planning on opening a restaurant over there. This made me really excited and at the same time it was humbling for me. Because my intention of setting up the brand initially was also to inspire people about food in whichever way. So this particular message stood out for me, it just reassured me I was doing something positive. And a couple of mothers and family members reach out for ideas or ask for tutorial classes. All this experiences are proud moments individually.

What is favourite food to eat?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Spaghetti cabonara

What is your favourite food to prepare, Dr? Why?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Italian cuisine. I find the recipes very flexible – once you know how to make this, it gives you an idea of how to make that.

If you’re asked to drop one between food and medicine, which will it be?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: As I said earlier, they are one and the same to me, and I have plans of opening my own restaurant someday. Medicine is dear to me and I took an oath but cooking is an expression of my creativity – there is art in my recipes. I believe a human should have a holistic approach to life. And just as they say a living thing must move, feel, reproduce and grow, everyone must explore every aspect of their abilities.

Asides food and medicine, what are your other special interests?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Recently, I noticed a keen interest in governance. I just would love to see things being done right as they should be, or at least help in any capacity I can. Now I intentionally said governance and not politics because I feel the latter is just an environment set up to do the direct opposite of why it exists in the first place (speaking about Nigeria in this instance). Music is dear to me as well – I used to be in a school choir and an orchestra and I played the clarinet. My next instrument to perfect is the saxophone.

What are some of the words you live by, Dr. Megwara?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Dream it, think on it, plan on it, do it. But don’t get stuck on the thinking part.

Do you have a specific style in food preparation or you’re open to any?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: I’m very open to any style of cooking. I want to explore different cultures and countries through my food so having one style sort of restricts the versatility.

What aspect of food will you like to improve on?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: I would say baking. That aspect is still rusty for me – might be due to interest – but I want to also learn pastry cooking.

Who are some of the chefs that are doing great stuff you look up to?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Oh, there are a lot of them, such as Chef Iquo Ukoh, Chef Gbubemi Fregene, Chef Iorenzo Boni, Chef Gordon Ramsey. I particularly list this four because I would love to learn from them or have a sit-down with them and pick their brains.

Sir, could you in a few words, describe one of your secret and self-created recipes?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Hmmm well it wouldn’t be a secrete anymore if I shared it, would it? Anyway, my chicken thigh and gizzard gravy recipe is one for which I’ve had the highest orders from clients so I’ll talk on that. Making the recipe, I was going for something not too spicy but at the same time not so bland. For the base, I use the broth from the chicken to give it its original taste. If you boil your chicken on very low heat for at least 1 hour with the required amount of water, you should have a good base.

What is the plan in medicine?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Being at the peak of my career and mastering and gaining all the experience I can. I see medicine as the beginning of a personal journey I have to help humanity. Eventually as a pet project, I want to work in the rural areas in Nigeria and attend to those that really need healthcare.

What branch do you want to specialize in?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: I’m leaning towards interventional radiology.

Did you study medicine by choice or by force?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Medicine for me was a choice. This might sound cliche to some but I truly had this passion to help people and give back to my society. So finding a profession that does that for a living was like hitting the jackpot for me.

What is your advice to medical students hoping to become chefs, and medical students in general?

Dr Ikenna Megwara: Never think it would be difficult, but don’t be naive to think it would be easy. Trust your abilities, don’t see either as two separate things. The moment that happens, one would give way for the other.

This Interview was conducted by Ibrahim Gladys.