Heartbreak Spaghetti With Suya Spice

Last month, I was ghosted by the one person I thought I’d marry—Tobi.

We had a whole vibe going: playlists, matching food diaries on Pinterest, and even a joint Google Docs folder for “Our Future Kitchen.”

Yeah, it was that serious. Until, one day, poof. No texts. No calls. No explanations. Just vibes and silence.

I stayed in bed for like four days, binge-watching Studio Ghibli and crying into instant noodles. Then, on day five, something snapped.

I told myself, “Girl, if he left, at least let him leave with a full belly memory.” So I got up, cleaned my face, tied my bonnet tighter, and walked into the kitchen with one mission—make the best spaghetti Bolognese Nigeria has ever seen.

I had no plan, just heartbreak and hunger guiding me. I opened my notes app and searched “rich spaghetti recipe with local twist.” Ended up combining three different food blog recipes (shoutout to SisiYemmie, Dooney’s Kitchen, and one random auntie on Facebook).

I added goat meat instead of beef because… Yoruba roots. I used fresh pepper and crayfish for that smoky kick and threw in suya spice like it was a personality trait.

It started smelling like closure and freedom.

As I stirred the pot, I imagined myself hosting a dinner party for friends who don’t disappear mid-text. I even lit a candle and played Asa’s “Bibanke” for ambiance. The aroma took over the entire flat—neighbors started knocking. I kid you not, Aunty from flat 2 asked if I was selling. I smiled and said, “No, just healing.”

The spaghetti was a hit. I plated it like I was on MasterChef, took a picture, and posted it on Instagram with the caption: He left. But this plate stayed loyal.

It went viral. People started asking for the recipe, so I posted it on my food blog, which I hadn’t touched since 2022. Traffic blew up. I titled the post “Heartbreak Spaghetti With Suya Spice.” SEO said yes. Google said yes. Even my ex viewed it from his burner account.

Then—I got a DM from Buzzfeed Tasty Nigeria. They saw the blog, loved the Gen Z heartbreak theme, and wanted to feature me on a segment called “Cook Through the Pain.”

Two weeks later, I was in a studio kitchen with cameras on me, telling the story of how Tobi ghosted me and how goat meat helped me move on.

But here’s the catch.

As I recreated the recipe on set, I got too comfortable. Too in my feels. Too deep into a monologue about healing. I accidentally left the burner on high and forgot to add water to the second pot of pasta.

Boom. Kitchen flames.

Not full-on fire, but enough for the fire alarm to go off and everyone to panic. I was so embarrassed I wanted to crawl into the pot myself.

But then the director clapped and said, “That was perfect! Raw, chaotic, and real. Very Gen Z. We’ll keep it in the edit.”

Now that clip has 3 million views on TikTok.

I turned my heartbreak into a blog revival, a viral recipe, and a guest spot on a cooking show. And to top it all off? I launched a mini eBook called Break-Up Meals for Bad Bishes. First recipe: “Heartbreak Spaghetti With Suya Spice.”

Now, when I miss Tobi, I just eat a plate of spaghetti, wipe my lips, and say, “You fumbled flavor, king.”