Chef Ederique Goudia is a chef, entrepreneur and champion for Black and minority-owned food businesses. As the founder of In the Business of Food (IBF Detroit), she works to break down systemic barriers in the food industry while uplifting and empowering food entrepreneurs through education, mentorship and advocacy. At Bread & Butter 2025, Ederique will lead Menu Design, Optimization & Pricing, equipping bakery owners and operators with the tools to create sustainable, profitable and value-driven businesses.
We are honored to highlight Chef Ederique during Black History Month, recognizing her leadership in the food industry and her commitment to building stronger, more inclusive food businesses.
You have a dynamic background in food systems, entrepreneurship, and community advocacy. What initially drew you to the food industry, and how did your journey lead to supporting small food businesses?
I was first drawn to hospitality then culinary. I spent a lot of time with my grandfather in his gardens and with my grandparents and parents in their kitchens cooking. By high school, I realized this passion could be a career and that kickstarted my journey into the food industry. I graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a BA in Business Management/Entrepreneurship with dreams of opening my own restaurant one day.
But after moving to Detroit over 20 years ago, my career initially took a more corporate path in the food industry. However, as I engaged more deeply with Detroit’s food and entrepreneurial community, I found my true purpose. This community resonated strongly with my Louisiana roots and truly inspired me to help cultivate a more supportive and sustainable ecosystem for food businesses in the city.
What inspired you to launch In the Business of Food (IBF Detroit)?
Recognizing a very significant gap in industry-specific resources for food businesses, I started In the Business of Food (IBF Detroit) in 2017. IBF Detroit is a food agency that offers tailored support and resources for food entrepreneurs while addressing the unique challenges they face.
Supporting small businesses, to me, means tackling systemic barriers while nurturing community. Whether advocating for fair wages, reducing food waste, or addressing mental health in hospitality, I’m driven by the belief that food economies thrive when everyone has a seat at the table.
For the Bread Bakers Guild workshop, I’ll bring that same ethos: blending technical know-how with the stories that make food matter. Because when we empower bakers and makers, we’re not just building businesses—we’re preserving traditions and crafting new ones.
Your work goes beyond food—you’re deeply involved in food security, mental health, and fair wages. How do you integrate these values into your business coaching and menu development approach?
I coach clients to build business models that prioritize sustainability for people first and menu development as activism. As we talk about sourcing, we connect food businesses with Black/Indigenous-owned farms; when discussing pricing, we teach them how to build in fair wages before profit.
With your experience supporting under-resourced and minority-owned food businesses, what advice would you give to small bakery owners looking to grow sustainably?
Building a sustainable bakery business isn’t just about scaling - it’s about staying true to your values through that growth. Turn competition into collaborations, bake equity into every transaction, waste nothing, honor everything, and measure what matters by tracking your triple bottom line: people, planet, AND profit.
If you could give one piece of advice to early-stage bakery owners, what would it be?
Build relationships BEFORE you need them. It will be those trusted partnerships that will sustain your business.
Where can people connect with you online?
You can find me across these digital spaces:
Join Ederique at Bread & Butter 2025
March 23-25, 2025
Ann Arbor, MI
Session:Menu Design, Optimization & Pricing
Spots are limited—register today!
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