Olukemi “Kemi” Atijosan MBA, MIH, FRSA

My name is Olukemi (“Kemi”) Atijosan. I am an award-winning serial entrepreneur, a passionate foodie, a dynamic leader and food services consultant, a married mother of 4 successful children and grandmother to 6 amazing grandchildren. 

I was born in Nigeria and have lived in the UK for 49 years  – mainly living in the London Borough of Southwark.

For me activism has been a consistent and driving factor in my life’s work. My enthusiasm for healthy catering and management efficiency in the public sector systems of London fuelled my mission to establish Eagle Solutions Services, a food consultancy company using the power of food to transform the school meals landscape by ensuring that multicultural food becomes an integral part of the food offer for London school children and their communities.

Working in the public sector for over 40 years as an employee and as a business owner, I have a history of innovating and creating programmes to better serve London’s communities.

My experience spans the NHS, Local Authority services and the education sector. I have pioneered several innovative service partnerships, ensuring the inclusion of minority ethnic groups and their multicultural needs were reflected in services within communities.

I established the very first Caribbean Meals on Wheels services in Lambeth and the African, Turkish Cypriot, Jewish and Asian Meals on Wheels services in Hackney.

I have won recognition awards for co-creating the gluten free Jolamy Avarah Flour using traditional recipes to process cassava. I also won the Be Mogul award in 2018 as an entrepreneur.

Although I have served as a member of the London Food Board since 2017, an advisory board on Food Strategy for the Mayor of London, I view my selection to serve on the Black Food Fund committee as a privilege and an honour. To be part of the amazing team of dedicated and committed individuals wanting to transform the Black food landscape in Southwark and Lambeth, to make an impact for today and create a legacy for future generations, makes the opportunity irresistible for me. 

Black food for me is ensuring that African heritage people in the diaspora remain connected with their African ways with food and are not intimidated or ashamed to embrace the method, taste, flavour, texture, colour and all that makes their food African. 

The opportunity to share knowledge and ensure that the African ways with food are not lost to future generations gives me the motivation to be prepared to give my time and effort and all that it will take to make this Fund a reality to the communities of Southwark and Lambeth. 

A healthy food environment for me is one where fresh foods that are grown ethically and sustainably are available in markets and shops with affordable, culturally appropriate foods that are accessible at walkable distance or a short journey by public transport.