Accra:Lawyer and entrepreneur Femi Asante has revealed the journey of her entrepreneurial ventures, starting with her food business, Red Chilli, which began in her grandmother's kitchen and expanded into other areas of the hospitality industry.
According to Ghana Web, Femi's early experiences at her grandmother's house, where she and her cousins would gather for meals after school, inspired the creation of Red Chilli. This venture was founded with the concept of "grandma's soul food" in mind. Initially, Femi managed all aspects of the business, from shopping at the market to handling the finances with the help of an app called Wave.
Femi also established Madame Butterfly, an Asian fusion restaurant that had to close permanently after struggling to adapt to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant faced difficulties with its menu not being suitable for takeaway and delivery, as well as challenges with importing ingredients. Despite renovating the space, Femi decided to close the restaurant to prevent further financial losses.
In addition to her restaurants, Femi founded the School of Culinary Arts to train individuals for the hospitality sector. She then went on to create Sandbox, Makosa, and Yummy Meals, the latter of which was inspired by her son's dietary needs. Yummy Meals focuses on providing meals for children in schools that meet specific dietary requirements.
Femi expressed her ambition to build a hospitality brand by Africans that can compete globally, aiming to offer the same caliber of dining experiences found internationally.