Tolani Tayo-Osikoya, popularly known as Chef T, has opened up about her spiritual journey and decision to embrace Islam, stressing that it was a deeply personal choice rather than one influenced by public attention.
Speaking during an interview on The Morayo Show, hosted by Morayo Afolabi-Brown, the celebrity chef revealed that she converted to Islam about a decade ago but only began practicing fully a year later.
She dismissed any suggestion that her decision was driven by trends or social media validation.
“I didn’t do it for clout, it was a personal decision I took nine years ago,” she said.
Chef T explained that she prefers to keep her faith private, avoiding unnecessary public display despite subtle indications of her beliefs over time.
“I give people hints. Every Ramadan, I do an Iftar series , you will always find me talking about Islam,” she added.
Addressing speculation about external influence, she clarified that her conversion was not tied to marriage or pressure from her husband’s family.
“It was never a case of ‘if you want to marry our son, this is what you must practice.’ They only wanted me to understand the religion and make my own decision,” she said.
According to her, the journey was entirely self-driven.
“I picked up the Quran by myself, started reading it on my own, and I knew it was time to share it publicly.”
The food blogger recently reflected on her growth in faith via Instagram, describing herself as still learning but progressing steadily.
“I am still a novice, but I am definitely not where I started from. Alhamdulillahi,” she wrote.
