Chuku’s will be funnelling the grant money towards ‘training’ and ‘technology’, reports Olivia Opara

Chuku’s Nigerian Tapas Restaurant owners Ifeyinwa and Emeka Frederick

A Tottenham restaurant is one of six independent businesses to be awarded a grant totalling close to £70,000.

On Wednesday, 9th November, Nigerian Tapas restaurant Chuku’s in Seven Sisters was announced as one of the winners of the International Downtown Association’s (IDA) ‘Backing International Small Restaurants’ programme grant fund, in partnership with the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM). The total grant fund is £69,000.

Chuku’s, owned and founded by sibling duo Ifeyinwa and Emeka Frederick, received £11,500.

Ifeyinwa Frederick said: “As a small independent restaurant we don’t always have the resources to fulfil our biggest ideas or dreams. For us, our team is a core part of the Chuku’s community, and while we always want to be able to invest in them more heavily, it’s not always possible due to budget constraints.

“We’re so pleased to have won the grant, which we’re going to use to improve our training processes and making better use of technology to do so to [and] ensure the continued development of our team and that they’re well-supported to continue to provide a brilliant experience to our customers and community.”

The programme forms part of American Express’ wider support for small business owners and entrepreneurs across the world – including grant programmes, mentoring support, and technical assistance.

Research by Opinium Research on behalf of American Express found that there is “a continued appetite among consumers to support local independent restaurants”. The same research also found that almost one in three diners (73%) believe that small independent venues “play a critical role in maintaining vibrant and diverse communities” and that almost three in five diners (61%) choose “to dine at local restaurants to support them in a challenging economy”.

David Downey, executive director, IDA Foundation, said: “Our second year delivering the Backing International Small Restaurants programme recognises the vital role small, independent restaurants play in our communities. The programme furthers our commitment to supporting the businesses which have been selected, helping them thrive and succeed in the wake of ongoing economic challenges worldwide. It is an honour to implement this innovative work with the generous support of American Express.”

Ojay McDonald, ATCM chief executive, added: “Hospitality plays an important role on our high streets, allowing people to come together around good food and drink. The entrepreneurial spirit and drive of business owners in this industry is excellent but the pandemic and inflationary pressures have dented their momentum. It’s why this programme from American Express has been so well received, supporting innovation within a sector that needed a helping hand to get it moving again.”

Dan Edelman, general manager, UK Merchant Services at American Express, said: “We’re proud to back one of the UK’s most dynamic and resilient sectors through this new grant funding. Small, independent restaurants play an important role in local communities so American Express is thrilled to offer this boost to help them continue to thrive into the future. I’m looking forward to seeing these enterprising ideas being put into action.”

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