By Mzukona Mantshontsho
COOK and BAKE with Chef Bobo is a woman-owned catering and skills training business that has big ambitions.
It is important to encourage the youth through examples to aspire and pursue their own paths, to further developing their own skills to earn a living, be better citizens and FUTURE Leaders. We live in a country where the latest unemployment statistics from Statistics South Africa suggested that the unemployment rate 33.9% South Africans. This figure was reduced by the increase in informal businesses in our communities. With two thirds of the population in South Africa being the youth, the youth is mostly affected by unemployment.
I recently spoke to chef Bobo about her personal, professional and entrepreneurial journey thus far.
Tell us about your early life
I went to Bafo-Chiko Primary School, proceeded to Matiyotenga Higher Primary, proceeded to Lesiba Secondary, and in Grade 10 went to United Kingdom Private School. I studied HR with UNISA, office administration UNISA, customer service management UNISA, was facilitator at Keybase Solutions, assessor at Keybase Solutions, and finally studied chef food preparation at University of Johannesburg.
What does the role mean to you?
It means a dream come true because I knew at a very young age that I wanted to own a bakery. I wasn’t even thinking about furthering my studies, just always wanted to own my bakery.
What kind of Leader are you?
Very strict but sensitive.
What can we expect from you going forward?
A Chef Bobo Academy and a Chef Bobo venue for hire.
What are your words of advice for young people, particularly women to start small businesses?
Starting a business is a good thing, sustaining it takes lot of hard work and courage. But that doesn’t mean when the going gets tough you must give up. That’s when you have to push more.
How does your business contribute to the community?
At a young age loved teaching my friends how to bake and cook, though some friends were not keen all they wanted was to eat the end product. When I started teaching baking and cooking it wasn’t really on my mind at the time as I was still finding my feet. One lady was unemployed and going through a lot in life. I then invited her toy home so I can teach her baking so she can start a business. After posting on Facebook that was 2015 early in the year. As they say the rest was history. As Bobo’s Cakes we plan to expand, hire more people and extend our classes to 2 months and 6 months as we are now accredited by Food Bev and QCTO Seta.
What have been highs and lows of working life?
When I got my qualification and academy accreditations, releasing 2 cookbooks in 1 year, and reaching the number of people I teach today.
When you not at work, what do you get up to, and where can people follow you or your business online?
I love my sleep believe me I spend most of my free time sleeping, spending time with family, friends, and on Sundays after church I visit my mom.
Facebook: Bobos Cakes and Catering
Instagram: Chef _Bobo_Cutane_Sibiya
Twitter: Bobos Cakes and Catering
You tube: Cook and Bake with Chef Bobo
Tik Tok: Cook and Bake with Chef Bobo
