By Yemisi Suleiman

For avid travellers, exploring local cuisines is one of the best ways to experience the local culture of a place. And what better way to do so than attending the GTBank Food and Drinks Fair, in Lagos.

Held at the usual venue, the GT Centre, Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, from April 28 to May 1st, the annual event, now in its 4th year, is a must-visit for all food lovers around the globe.

This year, the GTBank Food and Drink which is the premier culinary event in Africa, brought together tens of thousands of people from across the continent and beyond to support and celebrate Nigeria’s vibrant and burgeoning small businesses in the food retail sector.

The four-day event featured an array of free Retail Stalls to over 300 small businesses, more than double the number from the previous year. With an exhibition of wares by local food manufacturers, a display of fresh foods, some well processed and packaged foods, as visitors moved from stalls to stalls devouring mouth-watering delicacies and wine tastings.

Besides, there was the farmers’ market for the sale of fresh and organic produce as well as a showcase of some of the finest street foods in Africa’s largest city, including delicacies like amala, nkwoobi (an Igbo, goat meat delicacy ) yam flakes, Suya to puff- puff and more.

The event also featured a series of masterclasses and cookery classes daily, facilitated by renowned food and drink experts from around the world. Among the experts was award-winning radio presenter Matse Uwatse-Nnoli.

Also a prolific food blogger famous for her innovative African spices and stunning food photography, Matshe shared with the audience: The Secrets to Blending Seasoning to Perfection.

Her session was quite exciting and interactive as she spoke on the topic, with a practical cooking session, focusing on measurement and freshness of spices.

Philip Howard, also known as the “Chef’s Chef” one of Britain’s most celebrated culinary experts, was also on hand to give the audience and aspiring restaurant owners, invaluable insights on building and maintaining a World Class Restaurant.

In line with its family theme, the four-day event also featured exciting games and fun exercises designed to thrill and entertain children all day long as their parents go on a shopping spree.

With everything from cooking masterclasses and inspiring debates on creativity, to a fantastic line-up of retail brands and an overall successful show for the fourth time running, GTBank (Guaranty Trust Bank) has continued to deliver on its promise of investing and promoting enterprise in food and fashion, thereby propelling local entrepreneurs to dominate two critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy .