Learning how to make new dishes for Thanksgiving dinner that taste amazing as well as help sober up your drunk relatives is one of the best ways to give thanks this year (and probably every year to be honest). Fortunately, Leisurely is featuring a variety of great cuisines to choose from to prepare you for holiday potlucks, including Chef Segun Odofa’s West African and Afro Fusion Cooking class.

Starting November 4th, our members will learn how to prepare dishes like jollof rice, jerk chicken dumplings, and egusi soup. But before you dive in to learn the rich history of these select dishes, here’s three things you’ll want to know in advance about your host.

1. He Grew Up in the Restaurant Industry

“I started cooking from age 4 and started my catering company in 2015. My passion for cooking came from helping my grandma work at her restaurant,” explains Odofa. His company, Delicious African Orchards, has popped up at events including NY African Restaurant Week Festival, and in addition to classes, he hosts pop-up dinners at his venue, the Den of Splendor, which is absolutely the greatest name we’ve ever heard for a venue.

2. He’s well traveled and approaches menus with global perpspectives

“Due to my living in various parts of the world, I try to incorporate different food culture into the African dining experience.  A native of Nigeria, Odofa is a graduate of Lagos State University where he received his bachelors and masters degree in political science and government. After moving to New York, he studied biology and received his degree in nursing, but his passion for preparing meals for others led him to make the jump to being a small business owner.

3. His classes combine history with food

One of the characteristics of Chef Odofa’s classes is that he takes the time to teach students more than just how to compose a dish. “They will know the history of the cuisine and how it was cooked before any colonial influence,” remarked Odofa. We love a chef that takes the time to talk about the cultural significance of the dishes we eat and clarifies any misconceptions that we may bring with us about a dish’s origins. As lovers of food, we have a responsibility to share authentic facts when it comes to the foods we’re eating, so it’s only appropriate we take the time to learn before our brain is filled with the sights, smells, and flavors that put us in our happy place.