Meet Chioma Udeh, a trailblazing entrepreneur who transformed her passion for cooking into a culinary excellence. After a frustrating search for a white-collar job, Chioma boldly took on the challenge of starting her catering business from scratch, armed with nothing but a paint of rice and an unyielding determination. Today, she proudly owns Finesse Cuisine.
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Meet Chioma Udeh, a trailblazing entrepreneur who transformed her passion for cooking into a culinary excellence. After a frustrating search for a white-collar job, Chioma boldly took on the challenge of starting her catering business from scratch, armed with nothing but a paint of rice and an unyielding determination. Today, she proudly owns Finesse Cuisine.
Chioma’s journey into catering business
Chioma’s catering business began at home in 2016, with just a paint of rice, after she struggled to find employment following her National Youth Service in 2015.
“When I couldn’t get a job after my youth service in 2015, I decided to start something to keep myself occupied.
“Cooking had always been my passion, so I began indoor cooking. I started with just a paint of rice for a pot. I took photos of my dishes and posted them on social media platforms. To my surprise, people started placing orders”, Chioma recalled.
Initial orders encouraged her to persevere. “As time passed, I noticed progress, with positive feedback on my food. Some customers even called to praise my cooking, saying, ‘Hey, your food tastes great!’ Soon, I started receiving orders to cater at events, parties, and weddings. Word-of-mouth referrals helped establish my business, and that’s how I settled into this profession,” Chioma told TheNiche.
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In 2022, Chioma took a bold step by opening Finesse Cuisine to boost her sales in the heart of Owerri, Imo State, where she serves up delectable, quality dishes. Chioma said her mother’s tasty food at home while growing up inspired her passion for cooking. “I took after my mother in cooking. She cooks so well at home. So, I developed interest in cooking. Her tasty foods at home inspired me. So, when I didn’t get a job after my Youth Services in 2015, I had to start up with something so as not be idle. Cooking is not really what I wanted to settle for even though I had plans for it. My plan was to get a paid job and do cooking as a side hustle. But when I searched for a job and I didn’t get, I just had to start it up and I am happy I did,” she said.
Chioma’s ultimate goal is to establish a large fast-food chain where customers can come in, relax, and enjoy a wide variety of cuisines in a more comfortable and welcoming atmosphere than her current restaurant.
Sourcing for capital
Chioma, facilitator of Finesse Cuisine said starting up her business was not an easy one but was able to make do with her little savings. “I just finished my National Youth Services Corps and I didn’t have much. Even the little I had was spent during my search for a job. So, I just had to manage with the little fund that was left with me. And thank God it was something I could do from home. So, it was easier for me. I just needed to buy food stuffs and ingredients, data to post my dishes online etc. But I am grateful for the journey so far.”
Penetrating the market
Penetrating the market was not a significant challenge for Chioma, as she noted that it’s a food business, and it’s something everyone wants. “The kind of service I render is the one that you don’t have to stress yourself to get customers. Food business sells everywhere. People are hungry and what they want is food. Irrespective of how or where, they just want to buy and eat. But what stands you out from others is the taste of your food. I didn’t have much challenges penetrating the market because it’s food business. But I got recommendations. People that tasted my food were referring me to their colleagues, friends and families even before I started my restaurant.”
Experience while struggling to establish brand
Chioma revealed that she faced challenges with food pricing due to the uniqueness of her offerings. “Because of the uniqueness of my food – the quality – people often complain that it’s expensive. But I let them know that I prioritize quality over quantity. My food is rich, and customers confirm this when they taste it”, she said.
“Food business is highly competitive,” Chioma emphasized. “If you don’t set standards, you won’t stand out. I differentiate myself from others through the exceptional taste and quality of my food.”
Another challenge Chioma faced while establishing her brand was overcoming stereotypes. “Most people perceive restaurant owners as uneducated,” she said. “When some customers come to me, I let them know that I’m not illiterate. I engage with them, and my actions show that I’m different from their expectations of a typical restaurant owner or caterer.”
“Some people are surprised, saying, ‘Wow, I thought you were just a market woman,'” Chioma added.
Breakthrough in business
Chioma attributed her breakthrough in business to a substantial contract she secured in 2023. She said the contract encouraged her to stay in business and never give up. “It reinforced my belief that even bigger opportunities would arise. It was a huge business deal.”
Chioma also credited good feedback and consistency to her breakthrough in business. “Positive feedback encouraged me to stay in business, and my consistency has helped me get to where I am today,” she said.
Challenges of business ownership in Nigeria
Chioma identified the incessant increase in food prices as a major challenge. “When you go to the market to buy foodstuffs, you won’t find them at the same price you paid even just a few hours earlier. It’s really tough.
“And when you increase your prices, customers complain. The truth is, you can’t keep raising prices without losing customers. The profit margins now are not what they used to be. However, we have to find ways to adapt, even if it means making a smaller profit of N100 or N200. That’s better than driving customers away with high prices,” she added.
Japa
Chioma said that if she had the means, she would japa, where her culinary skills would be more lucrative. “It’s all about the exchange rate,” she explained. “My friends overseas often tell me that I have a valuable skill. If I see an opportunity to travel, I will take it.”
She noted that even selling traditional Nigerian dishes like moi moi abroad yields better financial returns than in Nigeria. “A friend who owns a boutique traveled to the US during the COVID-19 pandemic to restock. When she couldn’t return, she started making moi moi to sell instead of doing nothing. She would take them to healthcare facilities and sell them. In just two weeks of her stay, she earned over three million naira when she exchanged the money here in Nigeria.”
Chioma’s friend revealed that the profit from selling moi moi in the US for two weeks surpassed the earnings from her Turkey dresses sold in Nigeria. “Her story motivates me to want to travel and I know that with my skills, I can succeed abroad.”
Chioma Udeh has a number of workers she engages anytime she has an outdoor catering job. Her story is one of resilience and determination.
