Happy Weekend lovers!!! Trust the week hasn't been too stressful.
Not been consistent here for a while because of school work and all… So sorry 😩😩...In about some weeks we will be done!!! 😁😁 Kindly bear with us.
Today we are sharing an interview session we had with a food entrepreneur 😀😀 Who doesn't love food??? We had an interview with Kemi OYEDEPO, CEO- The Kitchen Monsters and the interview is “everything”!!!
Sit back, read through and enjoy!
LODF: Hello Ma'am, we're glad to have you on our platform. Can you tell us more about you?
KEMI OYEDEPO: I'm glad to be here, too. Thank you for having me. I'm Oyedepo Wuraola Oluwakemi, Head Chef and Creative Director of The Kitchen Monsters. I have a LLB degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and I am a Christian.
LODF: What was growing up like for you?
KEMI OYEDEPO: Errrrm. Growing up was fun. I grew up with my many siblings, family friends and cousins at my parents' home in Ibadan. My father, Engr. M. O Oyedepo (of blessed memory) was a disciplinarian and a father who valued education. He didn't fancy boarding schools much so I had my primary and secondary school education I Ibadan. I proceeded to OAU in 2013 for my law degree.
Growing up was a lot of growing: spiritually; we are Baptists and my parents had me and my siblings go through Sunbeam, Girls Auxiliary and Royal Ambassadors groups; all groups channeled toward helping a Christian child grow. Physical growth was ensured too, healthy living, intellectual development and even human relationships. You know, a big family like mine helped me grow up and grow well. Growing up was amazing, really. And I miss my Okin, Milk Maid, Coconut biscuits, speedy and co.😢
LODF: What do you enjoy doing at your leisure?
KEMI OYEDEPO : There's hardly any leisure in my days because most days are planned out. And in my plan for each day, I've created time for what I'd ordinarily use my leisure for- people time. I enjoy hanging out with people, talking and listening, banter. That's what I use my leisure to do.
LODF: You're a recent graduate of law, how would you describe your undergraduate days? Kindly share with us one of your exciting memories as an undergraduate.
KEMI OYEDEPO : Undergraduate days were funnnn. Amazing moments! I'm so glad I made memories. They were stressful a little though, classes and work weren't friendly to each other and one had to sacrifice for the other many times. My most exciting memories were with people, I can't place my finger on one as the best I'd like to share now😊
LODF: What inspired you to venture into food business and become a chef?
KEMI OYEDEPO: Two things. One. People that I cooked for always enjoyed it. Their faces would glow with delight and it looked like magic to me. I wanted to continue creating that magic of happiness.
Two. A desire to make extra money. I found out that I could monetize the magic I was creating and boom, The Kitchen Monster's! (Formerly Goldoykems Kitchen)
LODF: How long have you started and how has the journey been so far?
KEMI OYEDEPO: I started cooking for business in my part 2 and the name of my brand was GOLDOYKEMS KITCHEN. I changed to The Kitchen Monster's less than a year later. As Goldoykems, I made kebabs and chops for birthday parties and as the days passed, growth came and I started taking several orders. The journey has been one of growth and a proof of God's faithfulness and love.
Food prepared by Kitchen Monsters
LODF: What inspired the name “Kitchen Monsters”?
KEMI OYEDEPO: 😂 Scary much? The name is The Kitchen Monster's. The name was a nickname from my friends and it stuck. They started calling me Kitchen Monster because of the way I pulled food out of ingredients that wouldn't go together normally. The (s) in the name is dedicated to them.
Ain't she creative???
LODF: How were you able to balance other things with your business when you were in school ?
KEMI OYEDEPO: Lol. I didn't attend many classes. Just read for tests and exams. Plus, during the holidays, I ensured I got myself acquainted with the courses I had to take and by the time I resumed, I wasn't so bothered about school work.
Truth is, it wasn't balanced. I wasn't particularly able to balance it, so I won't advise anyone to try it. I only took the risks of doing both at the same time. It was more a commitment to doing the two well than an ability to balance the two well.
LODF: What are the challenges so far? Who/What keeps you going?
KEMI OYEDEPO: Prices in a students' environment is definitely a challenge. People want to pay little for so much.
The lack of interest of Ife people in trying new things also challenged work a lot. In the end, I worked around it. I used the challenges faced by other chefs and me to create goods for the Ife market.
What keeps me going? God. I think that's it. I think it will be a very ungrateful thing to suddenly stop after God has brought me this far and even this far, He still holds my hand to keep me moving. God just holds me all the way.
LODF: Any regret so far?
KEMI OYEDEPO: In cooking? None. Every mistake has been a lesson, every not so great experience with clients has been a lesson on human relationships. No regrets in life, either. One of my favourite quotes is this: "life is too short to be spent in nursing animosities and registering wrongs". No time, really.
LODF : Do you have models you look up to in your area of business?
KEMI OYEDEPO: I look forward to many. To many giants of culinary arts. Too many to mention. They inspire me in a lot of ways.
LODF: Do you have intentions to practise law?
KEMI OYEDEPO :Only God knows. Only God.
LODF: If you were to go to a country with your tickets paid for...
KEMI OYEDEPO: I'll go to India. I love their food, their snacks. And their poetry. I want to experience their culture.
LODF: What's your favorite quote?
KEMI OYEDEPO: Jesus is King. 
LODF: Do you mind sharing with us your biggest dream?
KEMI OYEDEPO :I have many 'big' dreams and they are all just in my mind but the dream the world calls biggest, even I don't know it. " Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard and neither has it been conceived in the hearts of people what great plans the Lord has in store for me".
I'd share it if I knew but I don't. ☺
LODF: What's your advice to entrepreneurs particularly those that are interested in food business?
This will make you hungry instantly😁
KEMI OYEDEPO :Do your thing. Find your market. Sell to your market. Expand it. Know that you can't sell to everybody but those you can and would like to sell to, make yourself capable of it. Cherish your clients. God bless us.
LODF: Thanks so much.
KEMI OYEDEPO: Thank you again for having me.
Thanks for reading lovelies ❤❤❤
Do well to follow @kitchenmonsters on IG.
Kitchen monsters makes us to salivate each time😂😂 but we love her all the same. Weldone Kem.
ReplyDeleteThanks lodf
Yeah right!!! One will just start salivating instantly 😁😁😁....Thank you Vicky for stopping by...We appreciate you!
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