Paris Startup Turns Home Cooks into Catering Entrepreneurs

In a trendy kitchen on the outskirts of Paris, Marie-Clarisse arranges cassava and okra mini-quiches with mango curry sauce, bound for a prestigious event that evening.

She fled conflict in Congo-Brazzaville in the late 1990s seeking refuge in France. Today, she runs her own catering business, Maison Kolia, blending French culinary techniques with ingredients from home.

Marie-Clarisse is one of 80 women who transformed their lives through Meet My Mama, a foodtech startup with a powerful mission. The company finds overlooked culinary talent among immigrant and minority women and helps them build thriving catering enterprises.

Founded nearly eight years ago by Loubna Ksibi, Donia Souad Amamra, and Youssef Oudahman, the idea came from their own experiences. "We grew up around women with incredible skills who didn't realize they could turn them into careers," Oudahman explains.

The challenge they saw was clear. In the gastronomy business, 80 to 90% of leadership roles are still held by men.

Their solution was the Mama Academy, which trains participants in both cooking skills and business fundamentals. Women learn everything from advanced culinary techniques to how to run a successful catering company.

Milena, a former financial auditor born in France to Peruvian parents, traded spreadsheets for cooking utensils through the program. She now runs Wankas, her own catering venture specializing in Peruvian cuisine.

The business model creates a win-win cycle. Meet My Mama books catering gigs for major corporations and international gatherings, then sources the food from the very businesses its graduates have launched.

The Ripple Effect

The impact extends far beyond individual success stories. With more than 600 events a year, Meet My Mama has become one of Paris's leading caterers while creating economic opportunity for entire families and communities.

"We give chefs the power to have power," says Amamra. "And they'll pass that on to their families and communities, so the indirect impact is huge."

The formula is working so well that the company is now eyeing international expansion. "The more business we do, the more impact we create," Ksibi reflects. "And the more impact we create, the more business follows."

These women aren't just filling a gap in the market but claiming premium positions in an industry that long overlooked them.