The Story Behind the Name ‘Jollof’: Culinary Expert Evelyn Addo-Boye Explains

• Evelyn Addo-Boye, founder of CoCAHM, has offered a surprising new perspective on the origins of the name 'jollof'
• The culinary expert made the claim during a discussion on the long-running Ghana-Nigeria jollof debate with Kafui Dey
• Addo-Boye argued that the name 'jollof' evolved from 'jelly-off rice', a term tied to the dish's cooking process

A Ghanaian culinary expert Evelyn Addo-Boye has stirred fresh conversation around the Ghana-Nigeria jollof debate, but this time, the argument is not about taste it is about the name itself.

Evelyn Addo-Boye, founder of the College of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management (CoCAHM), sat down with broadcaster Kafui Dey to discuss the beloved West African staple, and her take on its origins was anything but ordinary.

The 'Jelly-Off Rice' claim

According to Addo-Boye, the dish was never originally called "jollof" at all. She insisted the correct name is "jelly-off rice," a term she traces directly to how the dish is cooked. "It is jelly-off rice, not jollof," she told Kafui Dey during the interview.

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She explained that the phrase "jelly-off" describes the moment when the liquid in the pot is fully absorbed by the rice during cooking, essentially drying off completely.

Over time, she argues, "jelly-off" gradually shifted in pronunciation across generations and regions until it settled into the now-universal "jollof" that West Africans know today.

The Instagram video is below:

Jollof Beyond the Rivalry

Addo-Boye used the platform to push the conversation in a broader direction, noting that the dish has changed considerably over the decades as cooks experiment with different techniques and modern equipment.

In Ghana, jollof is typically built on a tomato base and plated alongside accompaniments like shito, salad, fried plantain, or chicken, while Nigerian jollof carries its own distinct preparation methods and regional variations.

She suggested the public conversation about jollof should stretch well beyond which country does it better, and instead take in the fuller story of the dish its history, how it has been prepared across generations, and how it continues to evolve.

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Her comments arrive at a moment when the Ghana-Nigeria jollof rivalry remains as animated as ever, and the suggestion that the very name most people use is a mispronunciation is almost certain to pour fresh energy into the debate.

The X video is below:

Source: YEN.com.gh