“In terms of our food, language, music, culture, women – all these things have added to my life rather than cause a question of controversy.”
Eddie
1: Spiced chicken soup with shredded spring onions, green banana and okra; £5.50 2: Confit duck salad with watermelon, cashewnut, hoisin sauce with pomegranate; £5.50 3: Jerk Spatchcock chicken, slow roasted with pimento and spices, served on a bed of stirfried vegetables, Jerk sauce, rice and peas; £14.95
2 3
able to represent it well. Growing up, there was a lack of information for me to be able to appreciate who I am. However, I now feel powerful enough to take my culture “on the road and around the world”. In fact, my culture adds to other cultures as well. Tat’s the beautiful part of being an African, being confident. We have reached the stage where a lot of people are seeing the whole African thing as being cool. In terms of our food, language, music, cul- ture, women – all these things have added to my life rather than cause a question of controversy. Especially as a comedian, I was very innocent in my approach at first; I just spoke about how I grew up, what it meant, but not realising the effect this had on other people, as this was new to them. Now I think hold on, I can actually educate people with what I have and who I am. I grew up in Congo for the first eight years of my life, so when I came to Britain it was a whole new world to me and I felt as though I had nothing to add – and thought just be thankful and appre- ciate being here. Fair enough, because my life could have been in a worse situation in Africa, but the fact is that we all have something to add, we have something different that no one else has. So being a modern African man is about taking my culture and just sprinkling it around the world – it’s beautiful – it’s the sea- soning.
one, but I was once renowned as the man who could make finger-licking lasagne. I made it for my current lady and it was not as good as I thought it would be as she hardly touched it. When I asked why she leſt it on the plate, she said she was not hungry, yet I remember her texting me on the way to my house saying she was starving. Jocelyn: I have had a few actually. I can remember, when I was around 18 I was or- dering and ordering because in my mind, I had my Saturday job and could go half. Not knowing that in his mind he was thinking, “is she taking the mick?” .When it was time to pay, he was shaking. Aſter the date, I did not see him again. I bumped into him three years later and he reminded me of our date, and how I offered to go Dutch for the meal, but he felt I was test- ing him as a man and was not going to
have me go away and tell my friends, so he declined the offer... what a shame it took him three years to tell me this!
How do you view yourself as a ‘new African man/woman’? Jocelyn: I had a Nigerian upbringing, I did not have a British upbringing. A lot of Africans, and even a lot of Car- ibbeans, were brought up in a different way. Although we are in this country, we are always reminded who we are – that is the discipline. My upbringing was very Nigerian. Being the youngest daughter – I have seven siblings – I was at the bot- tom and kept in control. I may tick the box that I am British, but I am African British. Eddie: I have got to a stage where I really understand my culture and how this in- tegrates with other cultures in order to be
Three words to describe your meal and what do you love about Cottons? Eddie: Oh My Lord... Tasty! Friendly! Classy! Te atmosphere in the restaurant is very relaxed, but at the same time it’s got soul in it! Te location is beautiful, you’re in the City, but at the same time there is a feeling of being in another country – Caribbean somewhere. Te staff are really polite and relaxed, but most importantly the food is phenomenal! Jocelyn: Peaceful! Sweet! Succulent! I love the location as it’s easy to get to but I also love the presentation. Te colours in the food are amazing! Plus I can’t help but have an affair with their deserts because they are so scrumptious... mmmmm and I love their Reggae Rum Punch – it’s the real stuff, the kind you have on holiday. Cottons serves Rum Punch for big people dem! Let’s call it rum kick – big-people drink.
Eddie and Jocelyn ate at Cottons Caribbean Restaurant & Rhum Jungle, 70 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QP. T: 020 7833 3332. W:
www.cottons.tv.
AUTUMN 2011 | NEW AFRICAN WOMAN | 95
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