Fusing together the exotic flavours of West Africa with British ingredients, Akoko is the first restaurant project from 2018 Masterchef: The Professionals finalist William JM Chilila. The new restaurant in Fitzrovia is set to open its doors this autumn and promises to be a gastronomical exploration of the region, while keeping sustainability at the forefront.

Roughly translated as ‘time’ and ‘the first’, Akoko takes a modern approach to cooking by combining the two elements of local produce and authentic West African recipes to create unique reinterpretations of classic dishes. Signature menu items include lobster with egusi ijebu velouté (a protein-filled soup) and pounded yam, grilled 28-day aged beef suya with caramelised onion and confit tomato, and charcoal grilled chicken with Liberian ruby red rice, onion and yassa sauce. Veggies, fear not, there’s the mouthwatering peanut curry dish of grilled aubergine, aubergine caviar and maafe sauce to get stuck into.

To accompany? An expertly-curated wine menu from sommeliers Spencer & Smolskaya with an emphasis on organic bottles and bold interiors inspired by African art, with bespoke ceramics to serve everything up in.