Jainaba Jobe – Catering Chef
How expert mentorship helped a Gambian food dream thrive in Catterick
From a nurse helping patients to an entrepreneur feeding a community, Jainaba’s journey, supported by Momentic, is a powerful recipe for success.
The challenge
For Jainaba Jobe, a Registered NHS Nurse from The Gambia, the move to Catterick in North Yorkshire presented a familiar frustration, but also a unique opportunity. Her husband, serving in the Army and stationed at Catterick Garrison in the town, had long noted the lack of authentic African cuisine in the area – a sentiment echoed by the diverse, multicultural community of Commonwealth soldiers and their families stationed there.
“When I arrived in Catterick, the gap in the market was still there,” Jainaba explains. “I quickly realised it wasn’t just a niche for Commonwealth personnel; British soldiers and locals were also eager for new, vibrant flavours.”
Inheriting an entrepreneurial spirit from her father and with experience helping her mother sell fresh juice back home, Jainaba felt a pull to act. The catalyst came with her husband’s overseas posting to Cyprus. Needing to be home for her three children, she made the brave decision to leave her full-time nursing role to join NHS Bank, giving her the flexibility to pick up shifts and develop the business whilst also being there for the kids.
So, the dream became clear: launch an authentic West African food business. The daunting part was understanding how to navigate the UK’s start-up landscape, having never run a business here before.
The Journey
The initial idea was strong, but the path to a functioning business was filled with unknowns. Jainaba needed to validate her concept, understand financial projections, and build a robust operational plan from the ground up.
“I had the passion and the recipes, but I needed to turn my idea into a proper business,” she states.
Feeling the weight of uncertainty, Jainaba turned to Start & Grow York and North Yorkshire, a free business support programme delivered by Momentic and funded by the North Yorkshire Combined Authority. Designed to assist new and emerging businesses in the region, the support she received proved to be transformative.
Through the Start & Grow programme, Jainaba attended pivotal webinars on Business Planning and Bookkeeping, and began a series of one-to-one sessions with Steve Lydiatt, her Momentic Business Adviser. These sessions became a cornerstone of her early success, providing a dedicated space to refine her sales and marketing strategy and talk through operational challenges.
By June 2025, she had laid the groundwork: securing permissions from the Army and local authorities to operate a takeaway from her home on the Garrison and completing her Level 2 Food Hygiene and Allergen certificates. With these boxes now ticked, Jay’s Holistic Flavours was born…and its first major test was to launch the business on Armed Forces Day.
Yet the struggle was real in the lead-up to this crucial launch event. “Everything was last-minute – the SumUp card reader arrived just in time, and we were hastily printing leaflets,” Jainaba recalls. However, despite the steep learning curve, the event was a resounding success, turning a good profit and confirming local demand.
Moreover, the original plan for her husband to handle deliveries was upended by his sudden posting to Cyprus, forcing a swift pivot to secure her own delivery solution.
The Momentic Solution
Recalling her support from Momentic, Jainaba said: “Working with Steve gave me the confidence and clarity I desperately needed. He wasn’t just an advisor; he was a sounding board who helped me see the wood for the trees. When my husband was posted away, it was overwhelming, but having expert one-to-one guidance meant I had a plan to fall back on and the support to adapt.”
Steve added: “Jainaba joined our Start & Grow programme with incredible drive and a strong vision. Our role was to provide the framework to channel that energy effectively. It’s been a privilege to support her journey from a great idea to a thriving business that is already making a mark in the community.”
The Result
Today, Jay’s Holistic Flavours is a burgeoning local enterprise. Registered with Deliveroo and operating five nights a week, her Lamb Chop, Jollof Rice and Grilled Chicken are already local legends. She actively engages her community through social media and pop-up events, such as the renowned Big Brewery Bash in Leyburn and other local food markets.
With a clear vision, Jainaba is now dreaming of owning a mobile food truck and has her sights set on a permanent restaurant unit as part of Catterick’s town centre regeneration in late 2026.
Visit Jainaba’s social media links for more information
