We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Momodou Saho a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Momodou thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

Risk-taking has been a constant in my life. Leaving The Gambia for the UK was my first big leap: new country, new culture, chasing a dream with no guarantees. After a few years, I earned a Degree of Arts in Professional Culinary and landed a position at The Grove Hotel in Watford. However, I chose to return home to open my own business, another gamble that taught me what it means to create something from the ground up. Then I left it all behind again to start over in the United States, rebuilding my career from scratch.
Most recently, I walked away from my position as Executive Chef at BartonG, a prestigious, stable role, to launch Jollof & Wollof Kitchen. Each move carried uncertainty, but every risk brought me closer to my purpose: honoring my Wolof roots, telling my story through food, and building something that’s truly my own. For me, risk isn’t just part of the journey, it’s a philosophy and the reason I’ve been able to keep moving forward.

Momodou, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Chef Momodou Saho, born and raised in a small town in Gambia, West Africa. My earliest memories are filled with the sights, smells, and sounds of my mother’s cooking. Her kitchen wasn’t just my first experience with food, it was where I learned the value of community, hospitality, and the power of food to bring people together.
My professional journey started when I left Gambia for the UK to pursue formal culinary training at West Herts College. That decision opened the door to fine-dining kitchens, where I mastered European and continental cuisine, learning the precision, artistry, and discipline that define top-tier restaurants. But my path wasn’t linear. After a few years, I returned to Gambia to open my first business, gaining firsthand experience as an entrepreneur before taking another leap: this time to the United States, where I had to restart from scratch. Over the years, I’ve made my way up and led kitchens at high-profile establishments like Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and BartonG in West Hollywood, serving thousands of guests and honing my craft at the highest level.
Jollof & Wollof Kitchen is the culmination of that journey. We specialize in authentic Wolof and West African cuisine, elevated with the techniques and presentation of fine dining. Our menu is rooted in tradition but reimagined to tell my personal story: the journey from Gambia to the UK to Los Angeles. On top of our daily pick-up/delivery menu, we provide catering, private dining, and curated culinary experiences that do more than feed people, they immerse them in a cultural narrative.
What sets us apart is authenticity without compromise. We don’t dilute our flavors to fit trends; instead, we elevate them while keeping their soul intact. Every dish is a conversation between my heritage and my global experience. Clients come to us because they want something memorable, something that feels both new and deeply familiar. I’m most proud of bringing West African cuisine into spaces where it has historically been underrepresented. What I want the world to know about Jollof & Wollof Kitchen is simple: we are here to celebrate our roots, tell our stories through food, and create experiences that connect people across cultures. Every plate we serve carries my journey, my passion, and my belief that food is one of the most powerful ways to share who we are.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the biggest pivots in my career came when I decided to leave my role as Executive Chef at BartonG in West Hollywood to launch Jollof & Wollof Kitchen. I’ve always had what I call the “entrepreneurial fiber” in me; this pull to build something of my own, to shape an idea from the ground up and see it grow. Even while leading high-profile kitchens and cooking for thousands in the United States, I established many ventures in The Gambia.
I had taken big leaps before but this pivot felt different. I was in a secure, prestigious role, but I knew that staying would mean continuing to build someone else’s dream. My vision was bigger: to create a brand that honored my identity, told my story through food, and brought West African flavors into spaces they’d never been before.
Walking away from that stability wasn’t easy. I was trading certainty for risk, and I knew it would take everything I had, to make it work. But that’s the nature of entrepreneurship: you bet on yourself, even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn the idea that hard work alone is enough. In the early days of my career, my mindset was simple: put in the hours, keep your head down, and let your work speak for itself. For a while, that approach carried me, especially when I was trying to prove myself in new countries and in highly competitive kitchens.
But as I progressed, I began to notice something. There were incredibly talented chefs around me who weren’t moving forward in their careers, despite their work ethic. And on the flip side, I saw people who were strategic, they networked, built relationships, and positioned themselves for opportunities, often resulting in them advancing faster. That was sort of a Eureka moment for me.
I realized that growth means stepping back to see the bigger picture, asking for help when you need it, and understanding how to make your work visible to the right people. It’s about building connections outside the kitchen, learning the business side of the craft, and making deliberate moves that align with your long-term vision.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jollofandwollof.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jollof_wollof_kitchen/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578671690753&sk=friends_likes
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lux-creations-catering-los-angeles?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
• Other: www.jollofandwollof.square.site