Evelyn Addo-Boye is the founder of CoCAHM
Evelyn Addo-Boye, founder of the College of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management (CoCAHM), has offered a different perspective on the popular West African dish commonly known as jollof rice.
According to her, the dish is not originally called “jollof” but “jelly-off rice,” a name she says is connected to the cooking process.
Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey during a discussion on the long-running Ghana-Nigeria jollof debate, Addo-Boye argued that the commonly used name “jollof” is a later variation of the original expression.
“It is jelly-off rice, not jollof,” she said.
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She explained that the term “jelly-off” is associated with the way the rice is prepared, particularly the process of cooking the rice until the liquid is absorbed or completely dries up.
According to her, the pronunciation of “jelly-off” changed over time and eventually became “jollof”, which is now widely used across West Africa and beyond.
Her explanation adds another dimension to the decades-old debate over the popular dish, which has often centred on whether Ghanaian or Nigerian jollof is superior.
The two countries have developed distinct approaches to preparing the dish, with differences in ingredients, cooking methods, spices and preferred accompaniments.
In Ghana, jollof is commonly prepared with a tomato-based sauce and served with accompaniments such as shito, salad, fried plantain or chicken. Nigerian jollof, meanwhile, has its own preparation styles and regional variations.
Addo-Boye noted that the preparation of the dish has also evolved over the years as chefs and home cooks experiment with different techniques and modern cooking equipment.
She suggested that the discussion about jollof should therefore go beyond the rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria and consider the history, preparation and evolution of the dish.
Her comments are likely to add fresh fuel to the already lively Ghana-Nigeria jollof debate, with the name itself now becoming part of the conversation.
Grandma Evelyn just entered the jollof chat!
— Kafui Dey (@KafuiDey) August 20, 2026
She says we've had the name wrong all this while and also delivers her verdict on Nigerian jollof.
Watch full interview here https://t.co/zZmyrkdAMK#KafuiDeyInterviews pic.twitter.com/OyVC3xRr7H
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