Chicago street eats inspire Syrita’s offerings

February 9, 2024

Syrita Nuttall is cooking up the city’s most varied eggroll lineup.

Inspired by Chicago street food, her company Home Cooked Vibes specializes in eggrolls with flavors like buffalo chicken, Philly cheese steak and more.

Syrita discovered the Launch Dayton community online in 2020 when she was searching for resources to start her business. She tapped into Startup Week, Spark Fairborn, Miami Valley Urban League’s PepsiCo Food & Bev Accelerator, and Launch Dayton’s mentor network.

Today, you can find her popping up around the region in her very own food truck!

We recently caught up with Syrita to learn more about her journey.

Introduce yourself — who are you and what is your company?

My name is Syrita and I own Home Cooked Vibes! We offer affordable catering services that is well versed in combining Southern and Midwest cooking with classical training. In 2023, we opened our food bus which specializes in fusion eggrolls!

How did your company start?

We’re originally from Chicago, and we were shocked by the food scene here in our town. I started cooking because I missed the food. I cooked some eggrolls for some close friends, and they encouraged me to sell them. They were an instant hit!

Why this idea?

Eggrolls are so versatile! Savory or sweet, your imagination is your only limit!

Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?

Yes! My father had his own electrical business, eventually my little brother took over. While putting up ceiling fans and circuit breaker boxes wasn’t my idea of fun, I definitely took in what it meant to be my own boss and my own brand.

How do you embody Launch Dayton’s community values?

“The ultimate goal in life is not to be served, but to serve” is a motto that I live by every day. I’m always looking for a way to give back to the community, while being true to myself. Food is the universal language of love, there’s no better way to talk to others!

What identities or life experiences do you bring to entrepreneurship that helped prepare you for this lifestyle?

Being an African American woman is an everyday life experience. Breaking barriers, being an example for my children, and leaving a legacy are what make me go harder each day I wake up.

What is the biggest barrier you’ve faced on your entrepreneur journey?

The biggest barrier I’ve encountered was just finding out basic information about having your own business. Coming from a different city, I had no clue where to start or who to turn to.

Why do you love what you do?

I love cooking! I love being able to talk to strangers with my food and they instantly fall in love! And I have fun doing what I do — it’s never work if you love what you do.

What advice would you offer fellow or aspiring entrepreneurs?

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP! Get out and go network! Don’t be afraid to book that event or attend an open house!

How did you get connected to the Launch Dayton community?

I initially found out about Launch Dayton just looking online for information when I first started my business in 2020. I was afraid that I couldn’t do any of the programs because my business is based in Fairborn, but once I was assured that didn’t matter, I was all in.

How was your program experience?

Because of Launch Dayton and their connections, I was able to secure my food truck! I ALWAYS refer people to Launch Dayton and all its partners for the options they have to offer fellow entrepreneurs and business owners.

How can the Launch Dayton community support you?

Right now, we just need the word spread about us! We have somewhat of a fan base, but I know we could a bigger following if people knew about us and what we offer.

Follow Syrita @HomeCookedVibes to see where’s she’s pulling up next!

Curious what resources in the Launch Dayton community can help YOU grow your business? Check out our interactive resource guide here.