a favorite meal from Dayton Children's chef

What better way to celebrate a world of flavors this National Nutrition Month than to talk to one of our own Dayton Children’s employees about his favorite meals?

Dayton Children’s chef, Jules Danholli, is from Togo, a narrow country located on the west coast of Africa between Ghana and Benin. When we asked him about his favorite Togolese dishes, he knew instantly that he wanted to share about egusi soup.

egusi soup

Egusi is a melon seed that is blended for the soup. Egusi is high in vitamin A, B1 and B2. This recipe can be served over rice or eaten with bread. Ingredients for this recipe can be found at the International and African Food Market located at 1405 Wilmington Avenue in Dayton. Another market that Jules recommends is called Asafo, located in Cincinnati.

about jules:

• Jules is from Lomé, the capital of Togo.

• While in Togo, Jules was a chef for eight years. He went to a culinary school called Hotel Ecole Lebenin. He then worked in a restaurant called Lomé La Belle, then was a house cook.
• He recommends egusi because it is a hearty meal that is tasty and filling! You can eat it along with many other African dishes.

egusi soup recipe

Photo credit: Epicurious.com

While Jules shared the ingredients for egusi soup, as well as some helpful tips, he chose not to share a step-by-step recipe. He says a chef never reveals their secrets! So while you may look up a recipe to follow, like the one here, we encourage you to make it your own.