Jemima Yakubu was studying to become an attorney when she discovered her passion for cooking after preparing meals for friends in a dorm room at school.
Yakubu, now also known as Chef Mimah, put her law education on hold and began preparations to launch a food truck business.
“I put law school on hold because this was really my dream, I wanted to kind of start the business and get it to where I want it to be and then head back into law school and eventually become an attorney,” Yakubu said, according to a report by WMAR.
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In October 2023, she earned her food truck operator certificate at Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) and turned her passion and vision into a thriving business in December of that year.
CCBC said the program offered her “hands-on training in food truck logistics, financial management and regulatory compliance.”
With lessons from instructors and industry experts, Yakubu learned how to navigate the challenges of running a food truck and manage costs effectively, she said.
“The program also helped me refine my business plan, ensuring I had a solid strategy to grow and sustain my brand,” she added.
Today, her food truck serves popular Nigerian dishes like Jollof Rice and Egusi, sharing West African flavors with people in places where West African cuisine isn’t really accessible.
But why a food truck instead of a traditional restaurant? Yakubu explained that she opted for a food truck to get to more people across different communities.
“Which is why I actually started a food truck, instead of like a restaurant or like a carry out. But I wanted to take this everywhere to different places so I can actually take the food to the people,” she said.
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Yakubu’s food truck has been seen at several events in Baltimore since 2023, including at festivals like Afram, WMAR reported.
“It’s always exciting to hear from people who haven’t actually tried Nigerian food before,” she said.
Yakubu loves her cooking business, but she hasn’t forgotten about her law education. While operating her food truck, she works part-time as a paralegal.
“I do part-time paralegal work for a law firm and I do my food truck and the rest of the things when I’m not working at that law office, but long term, I want to become an attorney. But I am going to keep my business going and I eventually want to have more food trucks in different parts of Maryland,” she explained.
Research shows that more than 42.4 million immigrants live in the United States to pursue opportunities and dreams. Many of these immigrants believe in the American Dream and are optimistic about achieving it despite the political climate and threats they face almost every day. Yakubu is already living that dream through her food truck.
“Growing up in Nigeria, I watched my mother, a caterer with over 25 years of experience, create dishes that brought people together. I wanted to offer that same experience here,” she said.
Her advice to anyone who would want to be a food entrepreneur is, “Be ready to learn, adapt and put in the work. If you stay committed, the journey is incredibly rewarding.”
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