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receptionist, the owner’s husband walked
past. I spoke to him and he suggested I go
and try it on my own and if I needed help
he would always be available.

So how did you get the
business started?
When I returned home I tried to get
funding to do it on my own. There were a
lot of hiccups and I wasn’t able to. While I
was going through this process, I was still
in touch with Young Chefs, and eventually
they told me I could have the franchise.

This was in 2009. In 2010 the first
Young Chefs Academy outside the US
was launched.

We market via
demonstrations
and activities

Far left: The Academy be a great idea. I tell people that ‘youth As an African business, how do you
has a range of different cooking’ is a tool to equip children with make best use of the support you
product offerings life skills. get from the US?
including weekly There are challenges around the
classes, holiday camps You’re part of an American franchise; curriculum, because most of the material
and children’s parties how did you manage that? I receive from head office needs to be
Left: One Modisane In 2008, I completed a Bachelor of adapted to an African environment and
working with her young Education with majors in special education to suit the children I work with.
charges. Material from and home economics. While in my final
the US franchisor needs year I thought: “What am I going to I change a lot of the recipes I get from
to be adapted to an do? What is my next step?” I started the US to incorporate fresh local produce
African environment researching opportunities and came and locally available food products. I
Above: Modisane’s across Young Chefs Academy in the US. also need to make seasonal adaptations,
ultimate goal is to take I contacted them and asked if I could run because when it is summer here it is
Young Chefs Academy a franchise in Botswana, but they turned winter there. But I do find them very
across Africa me down. supportive, considering the different
market I’m working in.
When I finished varsity, I took a trip
to the States and visited their head office You have a very successful enterprise;
in Waco, Texas. I arrived without an what is your marketing strategy?
appointment and, while chatting to the I cannot afford to pay for advertising, so
I do demonstrations and exhibitions at
special events, on national holidays and
at celebrations.

Last year we did a giant cupcake
mosaic, which was me trying to attract
media attention. Other strategies I use are
to run a kitchen at schools or run all-day
events working with the children. Word-
of-mouth is working well for us, so we
ensure our service is always at its best as

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