Today we’d like to introduce you to Lola Ogunbakin
Hi Lola, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Thank you so much for having me! I’m really excited to share my journey. I moved to the United States from Nigeria with a dream to explore new opportunities and create a better life. When I first arrived, I started work in the hospitality field . It was a challenging but rewarding experience that helped me learn about American culture and customer service.
While working, I saved diligently to pursue my passion for cooking, which led me to culinary school. I wanted to bring a piece of my heritage to the vibrant food scene here in Houston. After graduating, I launched my business, Crave Bowl, where we deliver authentic Nigerian food to the community.
It’s been an incredible journey of blending my roots with my new environment, and I’m proud to share the rich flavors and traditions of Nigerian cuisine with others. Every dish tells a story, and I love being able to connect people through food.
I hope to inspire others, especially immigrants, to pursue their passions and make their dreams a reality!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting my journey has definitely not been easy, but every challenge has shaped me into who I am today. To launch Crave Bowl, I decided to start as a cloud kitchen. This model allowed me to minimize overhead costs while maximizing my reach. Leveraging platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash was essential in getting my authentic Nigerian dishes into the hands of customers across Houston. However, navigating the logistics and competition in the food delivery space presented its own challenges. I had to continually adapt my menu and marketing strategies to stand out.
Additionally, I realized early on that to grow my customer base, I needed to incorporate elements of American cuisine into my offerings. This meant creating fusion dishes that would appeal not just to the Nigerian community, but to all food lovers. Balancing these flavors while staying true to my roots has been a rewarding but intricate process.
Another challenge has been expanding my services to include private catering. Building a reputation in this area took time, but I focused on delivering exceptional service and authentic food that resonates with diverse groups. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to cater events and see people from different backgrounds come together over a shared love of food.
Overall, while the journey has been filled with obstacles—whether it was financial hurdles, market competition, or adapting to a new culture every challenge has reinforced my commitment to Crave Bowl. I’ve learned to embrace these experiences as opportunities for growth, and I’m proud to share my culture and culinary heritage with a wider audience.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The CraveBowl ?
CraveBowl is well known for nutritious meals made from high quality ingredients, that caters to those looking for balanced and wholesome meals.
CraveBowl is specialize in all Nigerian and American cuisine, private catering and also serves out of state clients.
What sets CraveBowl apart is it fresh and healthy meals, the actual Nigerian taste, convenient service such as late night hours, and excellent customer service.
To all the reader, CraveBowl is a restaurant where we offer different services such as daily orders, private catering, Corporate events, breakfast baskets, brunch parties. CraveBowl caters for all kinds of Events.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk taking is an essential part of growth, innovation, and success.
I believe that everybody should take risks, especially as a business owner.
Have I taken any risk? Yes, I have.
Moving from cooking from the house to owning a kitchen was a major risk that I took without knowing if it would be a success or not.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecravebowl?igsh=NmE0MTR1emRiNHMy&utm_source=qr
- Other: https://memorialfoods.com/s/cravebowl/2022-wilcrest-dr-houston/320d4dc0-87fd-4b66-92a2-cd83088fcdf1
