Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Chef Guy Dongue, founder of Kids Cuisine Sante, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Kids Cuisine Santé is a francophone in school catering service company created in 2017. We provide meals and cooking classes to kids in school in French. We are really sharing an organic relationship with each of our school communities. We cater to parents in the French and English school boards and provide freshly cooked and healthy meals. Parents love our meals as there is no junk food, no overly sweet desserts, kids get introduced to various fruits and veggies, and all our meals are nutritious and balanced.
Tell us about yourself
I've been a chef almost all my life, starting in my mother's restaurant in Cameroon. As a teenager, I moved to France to complete my education and training in traditional French Cuisine. After over 16 years in training and moving up ladders, I move to Canada through a Destination Canada recruitment from the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. A few years later, I was an executive chef in the national capital region, looking at the same time at ways to bring fine dining to everyone. Hosting live cooking shows during community funfairs was a great decompressor… I initially moved to Toronto to launch a fine dining restaurant but ended up serving more meals to go to teachers and staff of the nearby Lycee Francais of Toronto. Parents were curious, and at the next back to school, the school allowed me to introduce my services to the parent's council, and they've been my clients since.
Along the way, other schools joined, and we currently operate from St-Frere-Andre & Toronto Ouest High schools in Toronto. Despite all imaginable challenges, from the supply chain to staffing, delivery. I feel so blessed to be able to feed many kids, have an impact on their life either through food taste or while training them.
My favorite guests are kindergarten kids; they tell you how it is…parents would email me for a recipe because their kids want their chicken made like at school or telling their parents they can't wait to go back to school for Chef Guy's food. It's so heartwarming and so motivating.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Surviving as a francophone chef in a big city like Toronto…(laugh), my biggest accomplishment is surely making a positive impact in the francophone community and positively touching the lives of all my clients every time I’ve had the opportunity to serve them.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Waking up early and overseeing staff execution, anticipating issues, managing expectations, timelines… it is like leading an orchestra and making sure all the players are disciplined, on time, on the note. The public is there and satisfied.. every day!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
COVID has changed the business landscape quite significantly, but having a passion, being the best at your game, looking for opportunities in any circumstances, and adjusting. Be flexible.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://kidscuisinesante.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chef-Guy-Dongue-2287032067983027
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chef_guy_1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gdongue
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dongue-guy-2572483a/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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