Meet Sola Ajao | Head Chef and Owner, Destiny African Market

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sola Ajao and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sola, what’s the end goal, career-wise?
My end goal is to have multiple locations for Destiny African Market around the world! I would love to be a respected chef and known for bringing more accessibility to African food in the States.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Destiny African Market is a food business that creates accessibility to African products and goods that are truly hard to find anywhere else. For the past 20 years I’ve been a licensed food caterer and have served thousands of people through my catering company which is also now a grocery store.

Destiny African Market is a dual African grocery store and African catering company based in Randolph, MA. We serve the immigrant and Afro-Caribbean community of South Shore, Massachusetts with authentic foods, including African snacks and goods from their homeland.

Starting a business (especially a store front) is by far one of the hardest things I’ve ever done but I always thank God for having such a strong support system. I want the world to know that if you treat people well, you literally can’t lose. My customers, affectionately known as the DAM FAM, are so loyal and encouraging and everything I do is for them!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I absolutely would take them to eat at my catering company and have them try my most requested Jollof Rice. Boston, MA has a bustling and rising food scene so I would have them visit the Museum of Fine Arts, the Aquarium, and check out some of the delicious restaurants at the Seaport like Empire Restaurant and have them try sushi cupcakes!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shoutout to my children and husband. They have been on this journey from day one and it wasn’t easy for them. In many ways, they had to sacrifice for my dreams, talk less of theirs.

Website: https://www.destinyafricanmarket.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/destinyafricanmarket/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/74514719/admin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/destinyafricanm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/destinyafricanmarket

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/destiny-african-market-randolph

Image Credits
Photo by Mark Manne https://www.instagram.com/markmannephotography/