Aspiring Global Superstar Chef
I AM AFRICAN & I CAN is a women’s empowerment blog highlighting stories of Black women’s struggles and successes.
By Hadiatou Wann | 12/07/2018
When Queeneth Odimegwu’s father passed, her widowed mother’s responsibilities went over the roof, and 13-year-old Odimegwu was left in a position to cater to her siblings. A part of her departed. But a new passion crawled in her life—cooking.
At just 13 years old, while Odimegwu’s mother was away for work, she took daily trips to the market, then rushed home to prepare mouth-watering meals for her siblings. The more she catered to her siblings’ cravings, the more she recognized that they could not get enough of her well-prepared dishes.
She went from cooking for her siblings to cooking for friends. Odimegwu doesn’t have the type of friends that only pop up once success is attained. From day one her friends motivated her. Her friends Ivy and Nkiem pushed her to think seriously about catering to people and were her first customers. Her other friend, Nengi, would remind her every single day, “own your craft!” Or she’d say “don’t send me pics. Put it on Instagram!”
One day, she heard the voice of God, ‘I want you to start making one-minute videos on Instagram.’ At first, she was discouraged because she thought she would not stand out in a platform that is saturated with content. But God spoke to her again: ‘there might be people that do what you do, but I will create an audience for you.’ These words pierced through her vessels and gave her the ultimate push she needed.
After growing some courage, she grabbed her iPhone, tripod and began filming.The first dish Odimegwu prepared for public display was potato salmon. When she posted the video on Instagram, something breathtaking happened. The video was viewed by 10,000 people on the first day. “It was like magic,” she said enthusiastically. Seeing these numbers withered away any doubts she had. “It was the biggest push in [her] life,” she said.
Today, the devoted chef has over 17,000 followers on Instagram who on a daily basis await her one-minute videos, with their eyeballs glued to their screens and salivating mouths craving a bite. A day does not go by without Odimegwu sharing new recipes with her followers. And if there is a delay, the world can turn upside down because she would be bombarded with questions.
The “foodies,” as she refers to them, are “very warm.” She feels “very connected to them.” She has built a close-knit relationship with them. Every Saturday, they are welcomed in her space though Instagram Live. This is their chance to “see the face behind the cooking.” She shares stories, and tries to encourage aspiring chefs to pursue their dreams. Her consistency and bubbly personality is what makes the “foodies” gravitate towards her every time.
When Odimegwu is not cooking and filming, she’s keeping a close eye on top-notch chefs, researching and taking master classes online—all so that she can give her best to her growing tribe.
Nengi Warikoko, Odimegwu’s friend for almost 15 years, says: “[Queeneth] is a very passionate young lady and you can see that in all she does; her studies, her love for cooking, her love life and most especially her attitude to life.“ She added, “I draw inspiration from her strength and confidence. She is the most confident person I know. She believes she can take on the world and yes she can. I call her my support system and biggest cheerleader.”
Women cook for different reasons. Some cook to avoid going broke. Others cook to get a guy hooked. But Odimegwu cooks because “cooking is a de-stressor” that helps her get through the day. Although she can easily whip up dishes from her homeland Nigeria, she doesn’t limit herself, because her “goal is to go global.” So, on her list of favorite dishes to cook are: Asian, European and African food.
Odimegwu is perusing her master’s in Project Management at George Washington University. “Your money can’t buy my time. I like for people to respect my time and policy,” the overbooked chef pointed out. She does catering for birthdays, single men, and since 2016 has been George Town University’s personal caterer for every African event that it hosts. It is not easy juggling grad school and being a personal chef, which is why she keeps a board to organize her to-do list. She gives her customers slots. Anything that does not make it onto the board “is canceled.”
What drives this young, talented woman is the “love for humanity, the ability to cater to people and make them feel loved.” In 2019, she hopes to partner with the nonprofit organization “Thrive DC” to feed the homeless twice a month (every Saturday). There is no slowing down for her. Odimegwu aspires to be a tailored utensil line owner, and give more people midnight cravings with her very own cooking show.
Welcome to Odimegwu’s World
“You can attain any level of success if you work hard. I always wanted to be a CEO. I just didn’t know where. Now I am the CEO of my own business Dishes By Q.”
“I’m never bored. I love cooking, it makes me happy. Food excites me. I walk, think food. I am always calculating what to cook next.”
“When you hear the voice of God, take it and go!”
“I can cook anything. Just give me the recipe. If I don’t have the complete ingredients, I won’t take the money. ”
“People love food that is not boring.”
“My mother is my role model. She is very independent! She taught me to believe in God. She taught me to be a woman is to be strong.”
Watch Odimegwu work her magic in the kitchen
Connect with Odimegwu
Instagram: dishes_by_q
YouTube: DishesByQ
Snapchat: Iamcareerdriven
Email: dishesbyq@gmail.com
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