Ekiti-based Nigerian chef, Damilola Adeparusi, popularly known as Chef Dammy, has officially graduated from the Hospitality Business School in Lagos, marking a key milestone in her professional culinary career.
Chef Dammy, who gained public attention following her cook-a-thon attempt in June 2023, completed the Professional Culinary Art Chef diploma on a full scholarship, the school owned by Horecabb Mentors confirmed.
In a post on Instagram on Tuesday, she expressed her excitement,” It’s safe to say Chef Dammy is officially a professional chef. Grateful to have graduated from the best hospitality school in Nigeria, first in Africa and among the top 10 in the world.”
She also acknowledged the support that helped her reach this point,”Cheers to the grace of God and the favor of men that have brought me this far.
“God bless HBS. God bless my sponsors. God bless my supporters. God bless Nigeria. And God bless me.”
Earlier, sharing her first day in the school uniform in February 2025, Chef Dammy wrote,”My first time in school uniform as a proper pro. Chef in the making.”
She recalled the warm reception and initial shyness,”I ran back into the hostel to go and blush. Being my first time in the school uniform, when I stepped out of the hostel, I started hearing, ‘Chef Dammy, you’re finally wearing the uniform, so fine!’ So I ran back inside, took selfies, and started blushing again.”
She further expressed gratitude to Nigerian food entrepreneur Oluwatobi Fletcher, popularly called Ofadaboy; HBS group CEO Dr. Mekwuye Eric; and the Ekiti State Government for supporting her enrolment.
The scholarship programme, a collaboration between HBS, Ofadaboy, and the Ekiti State Government with backing from First Lady Yemi Oyebanji, also provides five additional courses to ensure graduates become “complete and well-rounded chefs,” Mekwuye Eric confirmed.
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