About the Owner
From an Ivory Coast Kitchen to the World
By Rokia Dedior
My love for cooking began more than 20 years ago, inspired by the unforgettable flavors of my childhood and the cherished moments I spent watching my grandmother prepare traditional family meals. Those early experiences taught me that cooking is much more than following a recipe. It is about preserving culture, creating memories, and bringing people together around the table.
As life brought both joyful moments and personal challenges, cooking became much more than a passion. It became my sanctuary. During times of stress and uncertainty, the kitchen was where I found peace, comfort, and strength. Preparing ingredients, blending spices, and creating meals allowed me to slow down, refocus, and transform difficult days into moments of creativity and hope.
Over the years, I discovered that one of life’s greatest joys is sharing food with others. Seeing family and friends enjoy a meal I prepared has always brought me immense happiness. Food has a unique way of connecting people, creating conversations, and expressing love without saying a single word.
Before long, friends and relatives began calling me before they cooked, asking for seasoning advice, recipes, or even bringing their meat for me to marinate the Dedior way. Their confidence in my cooking encouraged me to believe that what started in my own kitchen could inspire many more people.
My greatest inspiration has always been my children. They encouraged me to share my recipes beyond our family table, and their excitement, along with the support of friends who loved my cooking, gave me the confidence to create Dedior Cooking.
Today, Dedior Cooking is more than a recipe website. It is a place where I share authentic African recipes, homemade juices, practical cooking tips, and the traditions that have shaped my journey. My mission is to help people cook with confidence, discover new flavors, and experience the joy of homemade meals.
Whether you are preparing your very first African dish or recreating a recipe that reminds you of home, I am honored to be part of your culinary journey.
My Philosophy
Forcé C’est Doux!
To me, cooking is not about perfection. It is about passion, patience, and sharing. Every recipe I create is made with love and carefully tested so anyone, anywhere in the world, can bring authentic flavors into their own kitchen.
Welcome to Dedior Cooking. I hope every recipe brings a little more flavor, joy, and connection to your table.
Recipe creator. Author. Mother. Entrepreneur. Passionate about sharing authentic West African recipes, traditional beverages, and the rich culinary heritage of Africa with kitchens around the world.
My journey in cooking began over 20 years ago, rooted in childhood memories of family, culture, and tradition. Growing up, I watched my grandmother prepare authentic dishes from Guinea, and those moments shaped not only my love for food, but my appreciation for connection, warmth, and heritage.
Over the years, cooking became much more than a daily activity. It became a source of healing and strength. During times of family stress and personal challenges, the kitchen became my safe space, a place where I could find peace, focus, and comfort. The simple process of preparing ingredients, blending spices, and creating meals allowed me to reconnect with myself and transform difficult moments into something meaningful.
Cooking has also been a powerful way for me to express love. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing the joy on people’s faces when they enjoy a meal I have prepared. It has strengthened my confidence, given me purpose, and reminded me of the impact that food can have in bringing people together.
My passion did not go unnoticed. Friends and family often turned to me for guidance, calling me before they cook, asking for seasoning tips, or even bringing their food for me to marinate “the Dedior way.” Their trust and encouragement helped me realize that my knowledge and creativity could reach beyond my own kitchen.
My children have been my greatest inspiration. Their constant encouragement, along with the excitement of their friends who loved my cooking, motivated me to share my recipes with a wider audience. They inspired me to create a platform where others can learn, experience, and enjoy the same flavors that have brought so much joy to our home.
Today, through Dedior Cooking, I share not only recipes, but a story, one of resilience, culture, and passion. My goal is to inspire others to see cooking as more than just preparing food, but as a form of healing, creativity, and connection.
For me, cooking is where strength meets joy. It is where I feel most at peace, most inspired, and most fulfilled.
I learned to cook standing on a stool in my grandmother’s kitchen in Enugu, stirring a pot of egusi that was almost taller than me. That stool is still in the family — and so is the recipe.
After culinary school in Lagos and a decade cooking in London and Accra, I came home with one mission: make the food I grew up on feel as exciting, refined and shareable as anything you’d find in a Michelin guide.
Asili Kitchen is the result. It’s a recipe library, a spice line, a cookbook, and now a small but loud corner of the internet where home cooks all over the world learn to make jollof that tastes like Lagos at 7pm.
My journey in cooking began over 20 years ago, rooted in childhood memories of family, culture, and tradition. Growing up, I watched my grandmother prepare authentic dishes from Guinea, and those moments shaped not only my love for food, but my appreciation for connection, warmth, and heritage.
Over the years, cooking became much more than a daily activity. It became a source of healing and strength. During times of family stress and personal challenges, the kitchen became my safe space, a place where I could find peace, focus, and comfort. The simple process of preparing ingredients, blending spices, and creating meals allowed me to reconnect with myself and transform difficult moments into something meaningful.
Cooking has also been a powerful way for me to express love. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing the joy on people’s faces when they enjoy a meal I have prepared. It has strengthened my confidence, given me purpose, and reminded me of the impact that food can have in bringing people together.
My passion did not go unnoticed. Friends and family often turned to me for guidance, calling me before they cook, asking for seasoning tips, or even bringing their food for me to marinate “the Dedior way.” Their trust and encouragement helped me realize that my knowledge and creativity could reach beyond my own kitchen.
My children have been my greatest inspiration. Their constant encouragement, along with the excitement of their friends who loved my cooking, motivated me to share my recipes with a wider audience. They inspired me to create a platform where others can learn, experience, and enjoy the same flavors that have brought so much joy to our home.
Today, through Dedior Cooking, I share not only recipes, but a story, one of resilience, culture, and passion. My goal is to inspire others to see cooking as more than just preparing food, but as a form of healing, creativity, and connection.
For me, cooking is where strength meets joy. It is where I feel most at peace, most inspired, and most fulfilled.
I learned to cook standing on a stool in my grandmother’s kitchen in Enugu, stirring a pot of egusi that was almost taller than me. That stool is still in the family — and so is the recipe.
After culinary school in Lagos and a decade cooking in London and Accra, I came home with one mission: make the food I grew up on feel as exciting, refined and shareable as anything you’d find in a Michelin guide.
Asili Kitchen is the result. It’s a recipe library, a spice line, a cookbook, and now a small but loud corner of the internet where home cooks all over the world learn to make jollof that tastes like Lagos at 7pm.
My cooking philosophy
Authentic Flavors
Authenticity First
Every recipe honors the rich culinary traditions of West Africa while remaining simple and accessible for every home cook.
Tested Recipes
Tested & Reliable
Every recipe is carefully tested to deliver consistent, delicious results using ingredients you can find in everyday grocery stores.
Forcé C'est Doux!
Our recipes prove that authentic West African cooking can be simple, flavorful, and enjoyable for everyone.