Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chef Rera. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Chef , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was quitting my job as a scientist at one of the country’s top hospitals and becoming a chef. I started my catering business in 2014 while I was a full-time scientist, so I worked full-time at the hospital and full-time in my catering business. I wasn’t sure what direction my life was headed at that time. What I did know, however, was that I was not meant to be a scientist, and I felt the most alive when I was knee-deep in the kitchen. My catering business was going well at that time, but I knew that if I had any hope of becoming an executive chef, I needed to develop my culinary skills. After some research, I learned about the International Culinary Center (formerly the French Culinary Institute) in New York. I visited the school, was shortly after given an interview, and was immediately sold. I loved the school, but I had no idea how I would pay for it. Tuition was $40,000, and at that time, I only saved enough money to pay for my mortgage for a year—no other bills—if I quit my full-time job. Nonetheless, I consulted my support system, who reminded me to put my faith in God. I knew God would work it out somehow. And that’s exactly what God did. I later learned that my support system had come together without me knowing, and decided they would crowdfund my culinary education if needed. Granted, at the end of the day, they didn’t need to because God made a way—as He always does.
In June 2019, I left my job. Within one week of quitting, I enrolled in culinary school in New York, and God kept making ways for my culinary education to be paid for. He made sure my catering business in Maryland prospered beyond my imagination. God kept making different ways for all my bills to be paid, but just the fact that my friends came together and offered to fund my culinary education was a sign to me that this was the right move to make and a risk worth taking.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I’m Chef Rera, owner of Rera Restaurant Group (RRG), which currently houses Chops By Rera LLC, our catering company; Nosh By CBR, our lunch delivery service; Fêtes By CBR, our event space; and Chef Rera, the private dining aspect of Rera Restaurant Group. Chops By Rera caters to large and small events. The largest number of guests Chops By Rera has ever catered for is 1,500. Nosh By CBR provides lunches to businesses in the DMV and surrounding areas. Fêtes By CBR is an event space for private dinners, events, and parties of up to 60 guests. The Chef Rera, the private chef aspect, deals exclusively with private dinners and monthly supper club experiences. All factors of RRG provide extraordinary culinary experiences with high-quality fare. From our unique combination of flavors to how we package our products, there is no one like us. You are guaranteed a unique experience with jaw-dropping-tasting food.
When asked about my specialty, I tell people my superpower is Afro-Fusion. I’m a classically French-trained Nigerian chef who fuses African cuisine with all the cuisines I’ve been exposed to: French, Italian, Spanish, and Mediterranean. While I know how to create dishes from each cuisine, I get the most satisfaction from creating Afro-Fusion dishes.
I officially started my catering business in May 2014 and was one of the first to form a “small chops” (hors d’oeuvres only) business. Within three years, I had scaled to doing full-service events.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being creative is the freedom it affords me, especially with the monthly supper clubs. I can create dishes that no one has ever made or even thought of that constantly wow our guests and clients. When a client comes in for a tasting and wants no changes in their chosen menu because the food exceeded their expectation—that is the best part.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I believe the time I had to pivot was also the time everyone had to pivot—-the COVID-19 pandemic. While everyone was wondering what was going to happen and too scared to go to the grocery store, I delivered food to people, and shipped food to other states. This birthed our lunch delivery program: Nosh By CBR. Our growth during the covid-19 pandemic also birthed our event space, Fêtes By CBR which houses our commercial kitchen space.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Headshot: Christopher Jason Studios (www.christopherjasonstudios.com) Food Pics: Kirth Bobb, Juan Herrera Jr., Atarhe Clarke, Dotun Ayodeji Photography