Plateau To Host Food Festival In December

Jos, the Plateau state capital, will host a three-day food festival in December.

The organisers promised an experience designed to showcase the identity, culture and hospitality of the people of the state

The event scheduled to hold at Nirvana Park & Gardens, Jos, with the theme “This Is Plateau” and produced by the Chef Elvis Company, is more than a conventional food event.

It was gathered that the festival will bring together indigenous cuisine, culinary music, fashion, cultural storytelling, enterprise and tourism, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to experience the Plateau’s diverse creative energy through food and entertainment.

At the heart of this year’s edition is “The Season,” an ambitious proposed record attempt to continuously prepare and serve 3,000 Nigerian-style shawarmas within 72 hours.

According to the festival director, Chef Elvis Katlong Henry, the proposed record bid is only one part of a bigger story about Plateau and its people.

The feat is expected to run throughout the festival, with chefs, food-production teams, partners, volunteers and guests participating in what organisers describe as a live culinary production experience.

He stated that the process will be supported by systems covering ingredient preparation, food safety, production standards, logistics, documentation, staffing and quality control.

“The world-record ambition may attract attention, but Plateau is the story. We want people to experience our food, our people, our creativity, our hospitality and the energy that makes Jos different.

He explained that the culinary programme will feature indigenous Plateau dishes and traditional meals alongside grills, fried foods, pastries, small chops, contemporary meals and modern street-food concepts, reflecting the changing tastes and creativity of the city’s food entrepreneurs.

“Beyond the kitchen, the festival will feature music, games, fashion, entertainment, cultural storytelling, creator experiences and partner activations, with dedicated spaces expected to provide families, young people and visitors opportunities to interact with Plateau’s growing creative economy.

“Local businesses are also expected to take centre stage, with Plateau-based restaurants, food entrepreneurs and emerging brands participating in the festival.

The organisers further said the platform will provide opportunities for businesses to introduce their products, engage customers and gain wider commercial visibility.

According to the organisers, the proposed 72-hour shawarma production is expected to be one of the festival’s defining attractions.

He insisted that the initiative will not only test their ability to sustain large-scale culinary production but also contribute to conversations around the Nigerian-style shawarma, which has developed its own identity through locally adapted flavours, sauces, proteins and preparation methods.

The director further added that guests will be able to witness the production and follow its milestones during the festival, stressing that the season remains a proposed record attempt currently under development.

He maintained that the journey towards December has already begun, with earlier activations providing the organising team opportunities to test its production systems, consumer response and operational structures.