We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nina Sodji a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Nina, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My name is Nina Sodji, I was born on the coast of West Africa Called Togo. Growing up my mom was my role model; she has this drive to success in anything she was doing. She had a convenience store where she worked every day expect Sundays. when the country started to be in turmoil around 1988 on, she found herself in the hospitality business. we didn’t grow up rich, but we had all we need to survive. she believed helping people was all she needs, so she instills that helpful spirit in me.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I was born and raised in west Africa (Togo). I was 16 years old when a devastating civil war drove us to seek refuge in neighboring country (Benin), and then making it to the United state, first in New York and then in Omaha Nebraska where my sister was already residing. I open at first one of Omaha first African store and cafe due the lack of hard-to-find ingredients and helping my community. Many of my earliest customers were young African men. After closing that business, I enrolled myself in culinary school. that’s where I realized the food, I love to cook was heavily influenced by those from Spain, Germany, India, and other African and European cultures, a testament in part to Togo complicated history of colonialization. I became determined to use this advantage to introduce West African cuisine to a broader audience. I am the owner of okra African Grill, a new casual restaurant concept that I open in March 2020 in the begin of the pandemic. For a new restaurant I wanted to do everything the “American way”, from the logo to my social media, I wanted to create that trust, familiarity and Love in the American household. I took cue from Subway and chipotle for my build a bowl concept, if customer could choose the core elements in a dish, they might be more daring to try it. After 3 years in business and a lot of setbacks, I believe I’m on the right path to “built the bridge between the cultures, I believe this is my mission in life, my calling, my ministry.”
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
first you have to dare to dream, second you have to have resiliency, and third you need hope to carry you through the hard time, believing that your dream will come to pass and in all you have to embrace all the experiences that comes into your life as learning experience, a corner stone into your journey. a pitstop before your destination.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
I think the most impactful my parents have in steal in me is by letting me move to the United state, by raising me to be loving, helpful and overall to let me dream and be myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: okraafricangrill.com
- Instagram: okraafricangrill.com
- Facebook: okraafricangrill.com
- Yelp: okraafricangrill.com
