Within the aggressive Atlanta meals scene, Chef Gambia Baboukar has carved out a singular house together with his restaurant, The Grasping Bunch. Mixing his Gambian heritage with American culinary influences, Baboukar has created a eating expertise that’s genuine, inviting, and quickly gaining recognition amongst locals and celebrities alike. The South Facet native, who travels to Gambia yearly, named his restaurant after a household nickname that’s been round for almost twenty years. As The Grasping Bunch approaches its third anniversary, Chef Gambia was our visitor on the Enterprise Change to speak his heritage and enterprise.
What impressed you to start out The Grasping Bunch, and why did you identify it that?
Rising up, I both needed to be a chef or an actor. I felt like being a chef was extra real looking, so I caught to that path. The identify comes from my household. When family would go to from out of city, we at all times went out to eat collectively. My uncles and my dad began calling us “the Grasping Bunch.” The identify has been round for 15-20 years now, so it felt proper to make use of it.
What’s Gambia like in comparison with different African nations?
Certainly one of my favourite issues about Gambia is that it’s one of many smallest nations in Africa. It’s most likely just some zip codes. You possibly can go from one finish to the opposite in a matter of some hours. The primary elements of Gambia are actually small – a few 30-minute to one-hour drive backwards and forwards.
How does your heritage affect your meals and enterprise method?
It’s primarily within the flavors of the meals. I grew up consuming at a giant desk, sitting on the ground, consuming with our arms. I’d like The Grasping Bunch to be a spot for everyone, the place individuals of various races and ethnicities can come, chill, and revel in themselves.
What are a few of your most requested menu objects?
The loaded fries are common. We take fries and toss them in wing sauces of your selection – we make our personal wing sauces. You possibly can add rooster, beef, or lamb with grilled onions and cheese on high. Individuals love that. Then there’s the Domoda Pasta, which I’ve been engaged on for years earlier than opening the restaurant. Domoda is a peanut butter sauce that historically goes over rice – some nations name it mafe. I recreated it as a pasta sauce, much like Alfredo. When individuals attempt that for the primary time and so they’re not allergic to peanut butter, they go loopy for it. That’s my signature dish.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve realized from working a restaurant?
The toughest activity is managing workers. I used to work for the earlier homeowners of this house for about six years earlier than I took over. Seeing how my boss handled me, I needed to be a greater boss. I attempt to give all people their requested day off as a result of it’s not all about work – I would like them to reside their lives too. One other problem is scaling the enterprise whereas conserving prices down. The massive supply firms cost an arm and a leg for provides, however when you do the work your self and go on to shops, you may get issues less expensive. It’s about figuring out when to chop prices and when to spend cash to avoid wasting time.
Have any celebrities visited your restaurant?
In addition to influencers, I’d say three notable individuals. Mohammed Gueye from the Atlanta Hawks – he’s from Senegal, which is principally the identical nation as Gambia. I’ve seen Boosie are available as soon as, and his son is available in on a regular basis. And Kasim Reed, the previous mayor – you by no means see him with no go well with on, however he is available in sporting joggers, simply chillin’. We additionally get OTE basketball gamers and Georgia Tech basketball gamers, plus influencers like Gemini Kai.
What recommendation would you give to somebody who needs to start out a restaurant?
Don’t do it for the cash. Eating places are one of many hardest companies to get into, and the revenue margin may be very slim until you’re promoting alcohol, which we don’t since all the things we serve is halal. It’s a number of work, and when you’re doing it for the cash, you’ll give up earlier than you may get there. Do it for the fervour, do it as a result of it’s been your dream, since you love meals and creating recipes and spreading love. There are numerous different issues you are able to do to make a faster revenue, so do that since you adore it.
I’ve to ask: Nigeria jollof or Gambia jollof?
Senegal and Gambia was one nation referred to as Senegambia. Senegal was colonized by the French, which is why they converse French, and Gambia was colonized by the British, which is why we converse English. The meals is slightly completely different, however related. The phrase “jollof” comes from Wolof, which is what we converse. In case you do a little analysis, you’ll see that in a jollof competitors between all of the African nations, Gambia was really the winner. However you Nigerians are extra populated, so I’ll let you’ve got that one!