Meet Patience Ogunbanjo of Lasgidi Cafe in North Phoenix Area

Today we’d like to introduce you to Patience Ogunbanjo.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I relocated to Flagstaff, Arizona in September of 2014 from Philadelphia, PA. From there, I transitioned down to Phoenix in January of 2016. As a first-generation Nigerian in the United States, my native food has always been my first choice. Upon arriving to Phoenix, I quickly realized that there were no Nigerian restaurants in the city. This meant relying on my mom to pack me frozen Nigerian dishes when I visited home or flying to nearby cities (LA and Houston) to get some of my favorite eats. You can imagine how expensive that can get, so I decided to be the change. I started Lasgidi Cafe to fill that void here in Phoenix and share some of my culture with my fellow Phoenicians.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I didn’t always know how to cook! People are now always so shocked to hear that! I consider myself a self-taught cook, so there was quite a lot to learn. Nigerians are a tough crowd to please, haha, so I definitely received major criticism as I got started. The food wasn’t spicy enough, or didn’t have flavor, or didn’t taste enough “like home”. I even had one customer tell me “oh I think you gave me the wrong customer’s food because this is horrible”. However, I pride myself in being relentless, so I kept pushing. Watching late night YouTube videos to learn new recipes, watching my mom cook while I learned on video chat, and burning pot after pot until I got it right.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Lasgidi Cafe story. Tell us more about the business.
I specialize in Nigerian delicacies. Authentic Nigerian food that warms your heart and reminds you of those happy moments when your mom would give you an extra piece of goat meat, haha. I’ve been told my jollof rice is quite exceptional, I think I agree. Jollof rice is a traditional West African dish prepared with rice, a savory tomato base, and a multitude of spices.

I’m most proud of how much Lasgidi Cafe has grown and how I’ve managed to maintain the quality of my food. We’ve grown so much that people can now sign up for our cooking class “Taste of Nigeria” by Lasgidi Cafe on Airbnb Experiences. It’s an easy and awesome class to learn how to jollof rice. Lasgidi Cafe is the only “online restaurant” that provides same day services. So if you’re craving jollof rice on Tuesday morning, no need to wait!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck to me is the right opportunity at the right time. Even though people do a lot of hard work for the given job, and people recognize it as being very lucky, remember those words are not to hurt your determination but to tell you that you got the right chance. Relocating to Phoenix was my right opportunity!

Contact Info:

• Phone: 6027773812
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lasgidicafephx?igshid=r3w5tdy9wfxn

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