22.03.2007
Charita Jones, better known as Momma Cherri presented a masterclass to the university's entrepreneurship network, beepurple. She shared her story of struggle and success with over 40 business-minded students.
Charita (pictured below), became a celebrity figure in Brighton and Hove when her restaurant Momma Cherri's featured in an episode of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares series. Since then she has expanded her business and has written a soul food cookery book and was the winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year title at last year's Sussex Business Awards.
Celebrating her first year in Momma Cherri's Big House, Charita charted her career from arriving in London almost 30 years ago as part of a theatre troupe through to setting up Momma Cherri's Soul Food Shack in Little East Street in 2001, the first American soul food restaurant in the south-east and quite possibly in the UK. She continued to talk about her life changing appearance on Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares which aired in December 2006 and the move to the Big House.
With the impending launch of Charita's soul food cookery book in May, published by Absolute Press, more television and radio appearances planned and a restaurant packed with happy customers, she has certainly enjoyed the success that budding entrepreneurs dream of achieving.
As one of the students commented: "The food was beautiful. The talk was interesting, informative and entertaining! Momma Cherri was very inspiring."
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
