Paco Ndiaye, an award-winning Italian Chef based in Turku shares an inspiring story of how he became an entrepreneur.
Please tell us about yourself?
My name is Paco Ndiaye, originally from Senegal. I have been living in Finland for 14 years. I grew up in Venetia Italy and I graduated as a professional chef in 2005 from Almar school in Parma, one of the elite high cuisine schools in Italy. I have been in the culinary space for some time now. I have been combining my culture with what I learnt in school.
After graduating from Italy why did you come to Finland?
I met my ex-wife, a Finnish lady in Venetia. She was a tourist and after many years of being together, we decided to get married and moved to Finland. We were first in Jyväskylä, a small town and it was difficult to find a job despite my good CV, getting a job was not easy. That was the first time I heard people telling me that you are overqualified. I sent my CV to all Italian restaurants around Finland, luckily I was told to go and resume at Sergio’s. I came to Turku during the weekend and the deal was made. I was the head chef for many years. I had a lot of experience there. We won some awards during my time. At some point, Sergio’s became the 7th best restaurant in Finland. After working from 2013-2014, I left there to start working on my own. I had wanted to have something that represents me, my culture, and my identity. I am a professional Italian chef but I don’t feel like to be any Italian. So being connected with the Italian cuisines and my experience, I’m always called to grant an interview.
When was the restaurant established?
When I left Sergio’s, I established a small restaurant. The name was Voice of Africa, I operated it for 3 years before I moved to this place in May 2019. The restaurant has a fusion of afro cuisine which defines my identity. People love our meals and services and we are known within Turku. We have 6 full-time workers and a couple of part-time workers and those we call when there is an emergency.
Tell us about the kind of wines your offer?
I’m an Italian wine lover, a connoisseur of good wines. In the beginning, I wanted to have Italian and French wines that have a connection with Africa because of the kind of food we offer. When we talk about wine, the French are connected to Africa. Those are the kinds of wines that I’m familiar with back then. The choice of African wine, beer is limited here in Finland that’s why our focus is on Italian wine.
Who are your customers? Do you have Africans who visit the restaurant?
The majority of my customers are Finns followed by other Europeans. The few Africans who eat here are my friends. The problem I’m having with Africans is the quantity of food. They prefer a buffet where they could have everything according to their will.
What distinguishes you from your competitors?
Turku is a small city and it’s a city with a lot of restaurants that’s why we have to set our standard high. What makes us different is that the whole concept is storytelling through food. I was born in Senegal, raised in Italy, and now in Finland. The restaurant is a definition of me, my culture, and my tradition. The name of the restaurant is Nomad Food & Wine, Nomad is people without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Here we promote African products. We have raw materials from West Africa that we process into food, eg Plantain, cassava, fonio from Senegal. Here in the restaurant, every single dish has a story behind it. My dream is to see my products in the Finnish markets just like the way you find the Japanese sushi in the shops
What challenges have you encountered so far?
The major challenge is communication, letting people know what you offer at the restaurant. Not having strong community support is also challenging. You need your community to promote your business, support, and throw their weight behind it. It’s not all about coming to eat but talking about it goes a long way in making the business known. The language barrier also poses a threat to the business.
