Beyoncé’s coins saved a London-based sibling duo of Nigerian descent from shutting the doors of their family restaurant.
In late May, the Renaissance singer’s BeyGOOD foundation awarded $10,000 to brother Emeka and sister Ifeyinwa Fredrick — the owners of Chuku’s. The sibling duo were of 10 London-based recipients who received supportive funds from the Black-owned Small Business Impact Fund of the singer’s organization.
The sibling-spearheaded establishment got its award during the BeyGOOD hosted Luncheon for Black Businesses May 29. The celebratory day went down at the notable Nigerian restaurant, in North London. Out of 500 applicants, Emeka and Ifeyinwa were of 100 business owners invited to the gathering. Beyoncé’s father, Mathew Knowles, attended and reportedly shared entrepreneurial tips.
Although only Ifeyinwa was present at the event, an Instagram post noted that she alerted her brother about the amazing grant win shortly after she accepted the check on stage.
“The whole thing was so surreal. I had to message Emeka as soon as it happened. We were both in shock. And the only thing that could have made the moment better is if I could have shared it with him in person. But I called him as soon as I could and we gave thanks on the phone together. For only both of us really knows the impact the grant has on the business.”
Chuku’s, based in the Tottenham neighborhood, serves Nigerian flavors via tapas-sharing plates.
Opened several weeks before London’s first pandemic lockdown, the eatery has since been named “one of the best brunch spots in London” by Vogue despite its financial struggles. Some of the tapas dishes at the family-owned eatery include Moi Moi, Suya meatballs, and an Egusi Bowl served with a trio of stews.
Chuku’s motto, “Chop. Chat. Chill,” speaks to its ethos of being a warm and inviting social hub.
In Pidgin, spoken across West Africa — a mixture of English and native languages — “chop” can have many meanings depending on the context of a conversation. It could mean “to eat,” or be synonymous with the word “food.”
The Pidgin phrase “chop life” means to “enjoy life,” as The Voice additionally noted.
The grant from Beyoncé’s BeyGood foundation will help Chuku’s reach new heights.
The brunch hotspot “nervously” launched a “Six Week Charge” initiative in mid-December to help keep their “doors open into 2023.” The campaign’s goal was to secure 600 bookings within six weeks.
After a surplus of support from foodies, fans and social media users across the globe, the tapas-styled eatery achieved 801 reservations for its contemporary Nigerian cuisine by the campaign’s end date.
See a clip of Ifeyinwa receiving the BeyGOOD grant below.
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