A Billion Reason To Believe

Article written by the chef above. Read below...

I remember my years in university and how I loved cooking. Remember the student flat kitchens and how I’d always try out a new dish during the weekends. Was never afraid to try something new. Little did I know I found my passion! I remember working in a kitchen in the UK and just loving the way it worked.

The thrills, the spills, the finesse, the aromas, spices, the sound of the knife hitting the boards, the sight of food being plated especially. All this tickled my senses and gave me dreams almost every night. So it’s no surprise that my dream was to become a chef.

Returned in 2008 to my Motherland, after turning down a job in a big energy firm, and decided to hit the ground running with my first restaurant. The passionate juices were flowing non-stop all through the renovations down till my last day there. I remember sleeping over night at site just to make sure satisfactory work was done on time. I remember a lot during that period even down to the mosquito bites. I always walked into the kitchen with a lot of ginger and joy because no matter how small, I was living my dream. 

Unfortunately things didn’t pan out as I wanted it to. I had to sell my share of the restaurant and was back to square one. To me it was like my dream had turned to a nightmare. A lot went through my mind. I asked myself a lot of questions. One question I asked myself a lot was if I had made the right decision not going for a desk job or white collar work. I tried a lot of things during my ‘sabbatical’ from hospitality, but none of them really worked for me. One of the things I tried was real estate, but I just didn’t have enough drive for it. 

The year 2012 rolled on, and the Occupy Nigeria protests started. I was stuck in my flat trying to figure out how to occupy my own time. I remember lamenting to my dearest mother and as the sweetest mum she’s always been she suggested I spend my time baking those cookies I’ve always dreamt of baking and let her taste it later. So I went into the kitchen and baked them. Recipe after recipe, minute after minute, hour after hour I stood in the kitchen baking and perfecting. I remember my mum tasting them and listening to me, with a smile, rave on and on about how I altered the recipes. From that day I continued baking and kept having my mum, family and later friends and neighbors sample my cookies. With time after one or 2 purchases I realized that I had been given another lifeline. My dream had been given another chance to live. I quickly registered my company Cookie Jar and continued with my dream. 

It wasn’t easy at first. I was met with a lot of opposition and lacked support. I started with just N15,000 which honestly was all I really had. I remember the days of being on a cookie diet because I didn’t want to bug my family for any pocket money or assistance. I did my very best never to doubt that my decision was the best. With every failure I had, I never gave up, I picked myself up and learnt from the mistake. I strived and fought every temptation I faced and just kept my sights on my dream. My dream that had now grown from just becoming a Chef to owning the largest bakery chain in the world. 

Some said I was crazy and that hunger will wake me up from this dream, but here I am now thanks to God, a loving Mother and wonderful and hardworking staff. My dreams have even grown more with the addition of inspiring people near and far to chase their dream no matter what. The company I started with just N15,000 is now worth an estimated N1 billion naira, hence the name the billionaire baker. The sky is no longer my limit, it’s my stepping stone. No one says it’s going to be easy but it’s definitely going to be worth it. The road to success is filled with a lot of parking spaces and comfortable stops, but we owe it to ourselves to fulfill that dream because no matter where you are or where you are from your dreams will always be worth fighting and living for. So live everyday like it’s your last, be an inspiration and a beacon and be sure to give everyone a Billion Reasons to Believe.

Are you a reason to believe? Share your story… email:abillionreasonstobeleive@iamcookiejar.com

Follow: @iamcookiejar and @cheferos on Instagram

This article was shared here by Nwokolo Geoffrey Netochukwu.