South Africa’s celebrity chef, Siba Mtongana, is the host of the Cooking Channel show – Siba’s Table. She was in Nigeria for a food show, after which she sat with Fatima Binta Muktar for an interview on how to boost Nigeria’s food industry. Excerpt:
How can the food industry help boost Nigeria s economy?
Food is an integral part of humanity’s sustainability and people will always eat. The wonderful thing now is that food has become very fashionable, perhaps more so than fashion itself. There is a gradual move of eating more for leisure and experience than just survival and this is great news for the food industry at large. This allows small scale food producers, food entrepreneurs, and food related start- ups to fill the gap in the market which can in turn change and grow the economy.
The fact that banks like Guaranty Trust Bank are investing in Food festivals like GT Food and Drinks Fair at such magnitudes is a serious indicator that food has the potential to help grow and expand the Nigerian economy even further.
How can the food industry help solve unemployment in Nigeria?
The bottom line is, people need to eat, it is one of those things that is an absolute guarantee in life, and wherever there is a need, there is also opportunity. People in the food industry need to find creative ways to innovate, to establish their own businesses and to create their own opportunities whether niche or large scale. In doing so this also creates the need within their own business for more capable skilled hands as they grow which supports job upliftment and possibly employment in the country, and that applies to any country.
Siba could you tell us your greatest breakthrough moments in the food industry?
There are a few stand out moments in my career which have catapulted my successes in my career. Being awarded a full bursary for my studies in my second year, was the first of many, this lead to me achieving a degree in Food and Consumer Sciences with majors in Food Science and Nutrition. Entering the food media space was next on my list, as Drum Magazine’s Food Editor, which ultimately gave me a platform from which, Food Network found and head hunted me.
How can the food industry help solve unemployment in Nigeria?
The bottom line is, people need to eat, it is one of those things that is an absolute guarantee in life, and wherever there is a need, there is also opportunity. People in the food industry need to find creative ways to innovate, to establish their own businesses and to create their own opportunities whether niche or large scale. In doing so this also creates the need within their own business for more capable skilled hands as they grow which supports job upliftment and possibly employment in the country, and that applies to any country.
Siba could you tell us your greatest breakthrough moments in the food industry?
There are a few stand out moments in my career which have catapulted my successes in my career. Being awarded a full bursary for my studies in my second year, was the first of many, this lead to me achieving a degree in Food and Consumer Sciences with majors in Food Science and Nutrition. Entering the food media space was next on my list, as Drum Magazine’s Food Editor, which ultimately gave me a platform from which, Food Network found and head hunted me.
And more recently, I won the UBUNTU AWARD in the youth Category in the beginning of 2018 which is one of the highest accolades to receive in South Africa, as it honours the exemplary work I have done in my industry on a global stage, and for flying the South African flag high. This award has opened many doors and continues to do so for my business The Siba Co. of which I am super grateful for, more so that it was a public nomination.
What has been your challenges while building your brand?
One, overcoming my own insecurities and fears and being able to put myself out there.
Two, capturing audience and often in business getting other people buy–in on certain things especially if it’s too foreign or hasn’t been done before.
Three, once the business and brand has grown to the point where you can no longer do everything yourself, being able to let go of your work and your brand and entrust someone else to love and respect it as much as you have for all these years. I’ve learnt to delegate but only to those I trust will deliver.
And finally, as the business grow, so do the unique set of challenges, ranging from finding suitable partners for your brand through to managing my team and having proper systems in place to run efficiently. This often needs to be revisited often to make sure that time is managed very effectively, wisely and not wasted.
Also, making sure that you keep growing higher and higher amidst growing competition and you stay on top of the game through breaking into new avenues and innovation from time to time.
What is the driving objective in your food business?
I have two main objectives, which I keep in mind when running my business. The first is to be on the forefront of global food and lifestyle trends, and to implement them in the work I do but also being cognizant of local trends and to merge the two which I refer to as glocal (Being global but also local), in a way which is still accessible and achievable by my fans and supporters.
What has been your challenges while building your brand?
One, overcoming my own insecurities and fears and being able to put myself out there.
Two, capturing audience and often in business getting other people buy–in on certain things especially if it’s too foreign or hasn’t been done before.
Three, once the business and brand has grown to the point where you can no longer do everything yourself, being able to let go of your work and your brand and entrust someone else to love and respect it as much as you have for all these years. I’ve learnt to delegate but only to those I trust will deliver.
And finally, as the business grow, so do the unique set of challenges, ranging from finding suitable partners for your brand through to managing my team and having proper systems in place to run efficiently. This often needs to be revisited often to make sure that time is managed very effectively, wisely and not wasted.
Also, making sure that you keep growing higher and higher amidst growing competition and you stay on top of the game through breaking into new avenues and innovation from time to time.
What is the driving objective in your food business?
I have two main objectives, which I keep in mind when running my business. The first is to be on the forefront of global food and lifestyle trends, and to implement them in the work I do but also being cognizant of local trends and to merge the two which I refer to as glocal (Being global but also local), in a way which is still accessible and achievable by my fans and supporters.
The second objective it to introduce the rest of the world to the beautiful African cuisine we have back home and in other parts of Africa. There is no reason for Africa to sit quietly in the background while the rest of the world takes the lead, and I see myself as an African ambassador with the massive responsibility of driving African trends and flavours into other parts of the world.
What is your advise to Nigerian youths who want to go into food business?
If you want to be the best of the best in your respective industry, regardless of what industry you are in, my advice would be to get formal education in your career of choice, this is the strongest foundation you can ever build for yourself. From there, network and find ways to gain experience from leaders in the industry, and lastly never ever give up. People will say no when you knock at some doors but its up to you to convince them otherwise, we are the creators of our one opportunities where there is a will there is a way!
What is your advise to Nigerian youths who want to go into food business?
If you want to be the best of the best in your respective industry, regardless of what industry you are in, my advice would be to get formal education in your career of choice, this is the strongest foundation you can ever build for yourself. From there, network and find ways to gain experience from leaders in the industry, and lastly never ever give up. People will say no when you knock at some doors but its up to you to convince them otherwise, we are the creators of our one opportunities where there is a will there is a way!