Chef Fregz in 2009 started his first catering service called DVARD Catering Service. In 2010 he left Nigeria to study at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Paris. After completing his studies at Le Cordon Bleu, he moved back to nigeria and in a short span has become a house hold Name and Brand.
Podcast Show Note
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your background:-
My name is Gbubemi Fregene. I’m also known as chef Fregz. I run a business called Chef Fregz, it is a private Chef and Catering business that started in 2011. I went to Le Cordon bleu in Paris, after culinary school i worked in some restaurants. After moving back to nigeria, I tried to get jobs with hotels but to no avail so I decided to start my own business.
Starting days for business including funding?
Funding was from my personal money, but along the way, I got supports from some family, friends and clients.
I knew since I was 13yrs old that i was going to be a Chef. I love to spend time in the kitchen and also love watching cooking shows I saw cooking as the best way to express myself
Can you describe your typical work day?
Mondays I try not to work but I end up going to the office anyway. I like to go to the office – check my email, approve budgets, I leave office at about 5 or 6pm most times. These days, my team is very competent so, I give them instructions and they deliver so I try to focus more on being creative and seeing to logistics.
Where do you see your brand in the next 5 yrs -10yrs?
My plan is to have a restaurant opened soon. More expressions from the brand and I also plan on sharing Nigeria’s food to the world.
What would you say was your worst entrepreneurial moment?
Four years back I got broke because there was hardly business and I had plans but there was no money to execute the plans.
How do you treat recipes and intellectual properties?
The truth is I don’t have issues with my staff knowing my recipe.
What piece of business advice would you give someone starting up?
You need to ask questions about;
- How people build their brands successfully
- Why do they do the things they do
- What is business structure?
- How does marketing apply to your business and learn about things about 4ps of marketing.
Being a chef requires hard work and creativity. So, if you want to be a chef, you need to be very settled with who you are; you need to know that it is real business and not to be upset when somebody says ‘they don’t like your food.’ It is a thing of passion and comes with sacrifice. Don’t go into it because you need be like somebody else.
Books / Resource recommendation:
Watch Top Chef Series
Key points:
- ‘Cooking for event is the easy part, but getting the food there in time is the major challenge.’
- If you want to be a chef, you need to be very settled with who you are;
- You need to know that it is real business and not to be upset when somebody says ‘they don’t like your food.’
- Also, know that not everyone will become famous
- It is a thing of passion and comes with sacrifice
- Don’t go into business because you need be like somebody else.
https://www.instagram.com/chef_fregz/?hl=en
@chef_fregz
