Tottenham restaurant picks up 'people's choice' award

It represents the latest accolade for the Nigerian tapas restaurant Chuku’s since it launched six years ago

Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick from Chuku's pick up their award (credit Freezeframe Media) — Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick from Chuku’s pick up their award (credit Freezeframe Media)

The owners of a Tottenham restaurant have won a prestigious national award.

Be Inclusive Hospitality (BIH) recently announced the winners of its BIH Spotlight Awards 2026, “showcasing the exceptional people and businesses making a stir in the UK’s hospitality sector”.

Among this year’s winners is Chuku’s, scooping People’s Choice of the Year Award.

With no industry background and limited funds, brother and sister co-founders Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick created an entirely new shared-plate concept built around the philosophy of “chop, chat, chill”, combining Nigerian culture with a relaxed London dining ethos.

Following a series of pop-ups, the siblings opened their first bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Tottenham six years ago.

October’s BIH Spotlight Awards 2026 brought together 300 industry professionals at Quaglino’s in London to celebrate the achievements of the sector’s black and ethnic minority talent. The award winners were announced across 16 categories, spanning chefs, restaurants, pubs, drinks professionals, brands, cuisines, people leaders and writers.

The awards recognise talent at every stage of their journey, from emerging individuals and independent operators to established experts, brands and businesses; with the 2026 finalists representing seven regions of the UK and more than ten cuisines.

Awards founder Lorraine Copes, CEO of BIH, said: “Every year, these awards bring new stories, journeys and ambitions from 60 finalists. What has remained constant over the past five years is the exhilaration, celebration and connections forged between our community and partners, a reminder of hospitality’s bright future.

“Recognition and visibility for deserving people and businesses matter more than ever. Hospitality is a tough industry to navigate, and my hope is that these awards continue to give our finalists the encouragement and momentum to keep moving forward.”

This year’s winners were selected following a rigorous judging process by an independent panel of leading hospitality figures.

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