We recently connected with Funmi Osatuyi and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Funmi, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from God, my culture, and the many moments in my life where choosing to keep going was the only option. Moving to Canada as a young woman forced me to grow quickly — working in kitchens, restarting my dreams more than once, and building LagosChop from scratch with more faith than resources. Every setback strengthened me. Every pivot taught me something.
What keeps me grounded is the belief that my journey is guided. Even in seasons where my finances didn’t reflect my vision, I always felt a deep peace that I was being shaped, not stopped. I’ve learned to move “quick, but not in a hurry,” trusting God’s pace over pressure.
My resilience is fueled by purpose — knowing that LagosChop is bigger than food. It’s culture, storytelling, and creating community through flavors that feel like home. That sense of calling is what helps me rise, rebuild, and keep becoming the woman and chef I’m called to be.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
At LagosChop, our entire approach to hospitality is rooted in culture, warmth, and intentionality. I’ve always believed that food is one of the purest forms of love — it can comfort, connect, and create memories. So our philosophy is simple: make people feel at home, even if they’re far from theirs.
As an Afro-Fusion culinary artist, what excites me most is creating experiences. Hospitality for me goes beyond the plate — it’s the energy, the story behind every flavour, the beauty of the presentation, and the care poured into every detail. Whether it’s a private dinner, a wedding, or a bustling night market pop-up, the LagosChop experience must feel soulful, memorable, and beautifully executed.
We’re in a very exciting season right now. We recently launched our new LagosChop menu, I’ve been selected to compete at Battle of the Bites on November 23rd, and our monthly dining experience, Pasta Wednesday, continues to grow into a community favourite. It’s where Afro-fusion meets creativity and conversation — a space where people gather to taste, connect, and experience culture in a new way.
We’re also expanding our signature Atadindin Sauce line. This sauce is at the heart of so many LagosChop dishes, and we’re working on scaling production and preparing for wider distribution so more people can enjoy authentic Nigerian flavours at home.
LagosChop is becoming a full culinary ecosystem —
catering, products, experiences, and cultural storytelling.
Everything we do is connected by one intention: to serve with excellence, joy, and heart.
This season feels aligned, and although we are still building and expanding, I know this is only the beginning of what’s coming next.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back at my journey, the three qualities that shaped me the most — both as a woman and as a business owner — are adaptability, resilience, and a deep commitment to customer experience. These qualities were sharpened every time I moved: from Vancouver, to Toronto, and now Calgary.
Adaptability became a survival skill long before it became a business skill. Moving countries, then moving from city to city, meant constantly entering new environments, new cultures, and new opportunities. Vancouver taught me structure and professionalism in the kitchen. Toronto taught me boldness, speed, and the importance of standing out in a competitive market. Calgary taught me leadership, ownership, and how to build something that didn’t exist yet. Learning how to adjust quickly, observe, and reinvent myself made LagosChop flexible, creative, and able to grow through every season. My advice: don’t fear change — lean into it. Each new place teaches you a new version of yourself.
Resilience is the quiet force behind everything I do. Every move came with challenges — rebuilding networks, restarting financially, finding community, and sometimes starting from zero all over again. But each restart made me stronger, clearer, and more confident in my purpose. Resilience taught me to keep going even when the path was uncertain, and it shaped the discipline behind LagosChop today. For anyone starting out, understand that setbacks don’t disqualify you. They refine you.
A commitment to customer experience is what transformed LagosChop from just food into a brand. Across all three cities, the one constant was people — how they feel, how they’re treated, and how memorable their experience is. Whether it’s catering a wedding or serving dishes at a night market, I learned that hospitality is emotional work. Clients don’t just remember the taste; they remember the care, communication, and consistency. If you want your business to stand out, elevate the experience, not just the product.
These three qualities — adaptability, resilience, and customer experience — carried me through every city, every restart, and every season of growth. They shaped the woman I’m becoming and the LagosChop brand I’m building — one that is intentional, culture-rich, and rooted in excellence.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
My biggest area of growth over the past year has been learning how to rebuild my life and business from a place of alignment instead of survival. I moved to Calgary on January 3rd, 2023 — a decision that felt like a reset on every level. I didn’t know the city, I didn’t have a support system here, and LagosChop was essentially starting from zero again. But that move became the beginning of my transformation.
In these last 12 months, I’ve grown in clarity, discipline, and purpose. I learned how to slow down without stopping. How to move quickly, but never in a hurry. How to trust God deeply, even when circumstances didn’t match the vision He placed in my heart. This season taught me that rebuilding isn’t a sign of failure — it’s a sign of faith.
Professionally, I’ve become more structured in how I run LagosChop. I improved my operational systems, refined my pricing, invested in my brand identity, and elevated the way we serve clients. I became more confident in my voice as a chef and founder, stepping into opportunities I once felt too small for.
Personally, I’ve grown in emotional strength, self-awareness, and self-belief. Calgary forced me to confront parts of myself I used to hide — the fear, the doubt, the exhaustion — and turn them into fuel. I stopped shrinking. I started owning my space. I learned that the version of me I prayed for is created through consistency, not perfection.
This past year has been the most transformative chapter of my life. And now, everything I’ve learned — the discipline, the resilience, the faith, the clarity — is becoming the foundation for the next season of LagosChop. A season of growth, grace, impact, and elevation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lagoschopcatering.ca
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lagoschopcatering
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/lagoschopcatering
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/funmiosatuyi/
Image Credits
Headshot picture – Keshmeshstudios.com
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