Emmy Ayafor, the Camaroon native and now former chef-owner of West African eatery Bantu Bistro, has left his CenPho restaurant and is searching for a new location in Phoenix to reopen his concept.

Ayafor had opened Bantu in the former Johnny's Uptown space in December, but after a recent dispute about taking over the lease from Johnny's owner John Taillefer, Ayafor found himself locked out of the building on April 22. Ayafor says that Bantu is still open (Taillefer "hired Americans to cook my food," he says) but that he is no longer involved.

Stay tuned for more info on Ayafor's new location. He's also asked me to post his email address for anyone interested in contacting him: [email protected]