What I use to lure customers —CEO, Vickky Restaurant, Akure
Wale Ojo-Lanre , Nigerian Tribune
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An inquisition from some Akure based civil servants and residents, Ondo State, who came for the 2014 Mare Festival at the Idanre Hill Resort about where one could have decent and hygienic food in Akure on Friday 12 December 2014, all pointed to Vickky Restaurants, Oke-Eda, Akure.
‘I cannot deceive you, if you want the best pounded yam with correct soup in a correct atmosphere of love and courtesy in Akure Oloyemekun, Vickky Restaurant, Oke – Eda is your best bet “ Mr Olofin Adewale a civil servant responded .
Another enquiry with a woman brought this response “My brother, if you want to eat and feel satisfied. I mean you want good pounded yam with super stew and soup, just get to Vickky Restaurant, Though, I learnt she has moved away from that old colonial club house in Oke – Eda. I learnt she has gotten her own complex very close to the former location. But in the end you will forever thank me that you ate at the restaurant.”
Some of these testimonies made the writer eagerly and anxiously looking forward to having a taste of the said service of Vickky Restaurant.
However, one was shocked on getting to the address at Oke – Eda in Akure where Vickky Restaurant ought to be, sealed off!
There was no sign of human activity, but one was saved from wondering far by a poster on the wall which directed thus “We have moved to our new ultra- modern complex inside Akure Shopping Mall, at the back of Chicken Republic just a few metres from here.
It was a sigh of relief to realise that one would be able to have a taste of the delicacy of the much-talked about Vickky Restaurant.
A minute drive from Oke-Eda took one to Akure Shopping Mall and just behind Chicken Republic is a brand new building with a large parking space which contained over 40 cars at that point in time !
A flex, which hangs on a wall, announces Vickky Restaurant.
As I entered the complex, an irresistible aroma of tasteful stew greeted my nose and my eyes ate up distinguished customers who planted themselves on plastic chairs fervently doing justice to pounded yam with varieties of protein on their tables.
I quickly took a mental census of customers eating in Room 1. Just over 120 people being attended to by uniformed waiters who pampered them as if they were kings while another set of 35 were given VIP treatment in another room designated for VIPs.
“Definitely, there must be a magic to this. This woman must be using something to lure us here,” “I said loudly without realising I was too loud
As I was about taking a seat, a light skinned woman in her late 60s approached, smiled at me, looked directly into my eyes and said
“My brother, of course, for every success, there must something. In addition, you are right to say I am using magic to lure customers. And for being bold enough to have exclaimed thus, I will reveal to you the magic I am using to lure customers to this canteen in the past 32 years”.
I was taken aback. I never expected such a frontal response to my harmless expression.
I quickly explained what led to my exclamation, relating how many people in Idanre referred me to Vickky Restaurant in Oke Eda, as the place where I could get the best food to eat in Akure and how I got to Oke Eda only to learn she has moved here and how I got here to see the multitude eating and demolishing heaps of pounded yam with relish.
In addition, what is the magic? I asked.
“Ok, follow me, as I reveal to you the magic wand which I have used, still using and will continue to use till death do us part to lure customers.”
I stood up, walked alongside and we headed towards the kitchen.
“Cooking food is a natural talent which God deliberately planted in all women. It is a job ordained by God for all women to do with every sense of responsibility to service our husbands, children and others. However, being human, some of us fail to develop this natural talent, fail to polish this gift and fail to harness this gift for our house and economic development. God allowed me to realise this early and I developed and continued to shine and polish it by attending various seminars and workshops where I learn and update my native cooking intelligence with guidelines of contemporary practices as related to hygiene and health issues, “Mrs Victoria Ogundana pointed out.
“Look and listen, any woman who polishes and develops her natural cooking talent particularly the act of making good soup and stew will have the better part of a man. This is why the Yoruba say “Olobeloloko (it is the woman who is adroit and perfect at cooking good, soup that controls the heart of the husband) this is the fact and the magic which our mothers used to lure our fathers to their stead in those days.
As we got to the kitchen, she picked a big spoon out of many in a bowl, washed it and stirred a pot of soup on the fire. “Again, good stew is not as a result of contraption of seasonings. No. Cooking a good soup starts from the market. The types of ingredients you buy tell on the taste of your soup. You will see some food vendors going for what we call “esa” bad or spoilt tomatoes and pepper, yet they want their soup to be tasteful. No matter the seasonings you add, a good taster will know and will not come to your shop again “
Some pieces of Mrs Ogundana showed me and “Also, the meat must be cleverly cooked to achieve a balance in not too hard and not being too tough. It must be well cleaned, the intestines at least for one hour. There should be no half measure to the ingredients, just go for the best. In addition, you must monitor and supervise the cooking of your soup yourself. I am always in the kitchen whenever my soup is to be prepared. I cannot afford anyone to mess up the measure. And for me, I rely more on the usage of natural seasoning. It gives the best taste. It is not juju, it is about passion, commitment, it is about customers’ relations, it is about giving the best to your customer .You cannot appreciate what I am saying until you have a taste, and I would ask you questions too.
