AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL FLAKES: From music manager to culinary innovator, Michael Flakes has made a name for himself by consistently building impressive brands. Having spent years shaping the careers of top UK artists like Kojo Funds and Yxng Bane, he’s applied his keen business sense to the food industry, creating the successful Afro-Caribbean food truck, Eighty’s Kitchen.
After establishing a loyal following on the road, Eighty’s Kitchen transitioned into a permanent restaurant in Canning Town, a move that speaks to Flakes’ ambition and ability to navigate new challenges. But he didn’t stop there. He’s also the mastermind behind the catering company, “By Michael Flakes,” and has even ventured into Vietnamese cuisine with his unique “Yam With Nam” pop-ups.
Today, we’re sitting down with Michael to discuss the journey from music to food, the challenges of scaling a business from a mobile truck to a brick-and-mortar location, and what it takes to thrive in two highly competitive industries.
Eighty’s Kitchen started as a mobile food truck and transitioned to a permanent venue in Canning Town. Can you share the biggest challenges and successes you encountered during this expansion, and what prompted the decision to establish a permanent space?
When I first started, I wasn’t sure how things would turn out. I didn’t have a business plan or structure, which, when I think back, is quite crazy. But it was kind of a joke when I first started. We started getting super busy and couldn’t control it with a small kitchen, so I ended up getting a space in Canning Town, and the rest is history. Some of the biggest challenges I had early on were the construction of the kitchen and dealing with unreliable builders. Haha, but it made me learn a lot. I had to take over in some areas, like painting and other little things around the restaurant.
Your catering company, Crave More, offers a diverse range of Afro-Caribbean dishes. What inspired you to focus on this cuisine, and how do you ensure authenticity and quality across your catering events?
Crave More was created to bring together like-minded individuals and savour dishes we grew up eating, but with a modern twist. Since I enjoy experimenting with food, I thought why not showcase my creations and host pop-ups in London?
Beyond the permanent restaurant, how do pop-up experiences fit into your overall strategy for Eighty’s Kitchen or Crave More? What unique opportunities do pop-ups offer for your brand?
With Eighty’s Kitchen being a takeaway restaurant, we take pride in ensuring that our food is cooked with love. Our menu caters to the quick needs of our customers, many of whom are school or college students and staff working in the area. We also have a dedicated customer base who are passionate about our flavours and eagerly anticipate their weekly visit to Eightys Kitchen. When we host pop-ups, it’s a sit-down experience where your food is plated in a specific way, and the music played adds to the overall experience. When you attend a Michael Flakes experience, you leave feeling satisfied and well-fed.
You recently branched into Vietnamese cuisine with your takeover with Yam With Nam, what made this the right country to merge with for your existing Afro-Caribbean offerings?
This all started with my best friend, Jeff, a food enthusiast. He had a brilliant idea, and that’s how Nam and I connected to create our menu. We host a monthly pop-up at Boundary Shoreditch and are planning to travel around London to showcase our incredible menu. We’re also aiming to secure our own space soon, but I can’t reveal too much about that just yet. Keep your eyes peeled for more updates!
Will you be exploring other country’s cuisines – if so, which ones are you most keen to merge with?
At the moment, I have a lot on my plate, but I’m open to exploring opportunities when the time is right.
The launch of Eightys Kitchen in Nigeria is a significant step. What led you to expand into the Nigerian market, and what differences have you observed in running a food business there compared to the UK?
Launching in Nigeria was both a challenge and a blessing. Opening a business in your home country is an incredible achievement, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. The Nigerian market is fantastic because they embrace new experiences, which makes it easier for us to thrive. My team in Nigeria also works tirelessly to ensure that we are always well-stocked. A big shoutout to Katy, who runs Public Ambition for putting together a great launch
Could you tell us more about the supper clubs you’ve organized in Nigeria? What is the concept behind these events, and what kind of dining experience do you aim to create for your guests?
The supper clubs in Nigeria haven’t fully launched yet, but I want to bring together different creatives while enjoying some delicious food. I also want to do things differently while people eat, like organising interactive activities.
Looking back at your various food ventures, from restaurants to catering and pop-ups, what do you consider to be the most crucial elements for long-term success in the competitive food industry?
I believe that ensuring consistent flavours and having well-trained staff who represent the brand effectively also contributes to customer loyalty. Additionally, my interactions with customers and guests have helped build a positive reputation, leading to repeat business.
Before your prominent role in the food industry, you had a significant career in the UK music scene. Could you share some key highlights or defining moments from your time working with artists like Kojo Funds and Yxng Bane?
Working in the music industry is awesome because you get to meet so many diverse people and build incredible connections. However, when managing Kojo’s funds, we were able to create timeless music with the help of GA, a fantastic producer whom I still manage to this day. Collaborating with Bane was also incredibly enriching, as it taught me the essential work ethic that artists should possess.
In 2019, you launched “Eighty” as a hub for music consultancy, management, and production. What was your vision for this venture, and how did you go about building a roster of top producers?
When launching the brand Eighty, my plan was to create a hub where various creatives could collaborate under one umbrella. While I took a step back from the day-to-day operations to focus on the hospitality industry, we are now fully back in action, working on numerous projects that everyone will see this year.
Managing artists and producers requires a unique skill set. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in artist management, and what strategies did you employ to help artists achieve their potential?
I don’t believe we encountered many challenges because we always prepared thoroughly. However, dealing with artists can be particularly difficult because they are known for their indecisiveness. Some things may never be satisfactory to them, but what helped me cope with this was to remember that this is their work, and we are all human beings at the end of the day.
Your independent efforts in the music industry reportedly led to significant record sales. What do you attribute to this success, and what lessons did you learn from the music industry that you’ve been able to apply to your food businesses?
We sold a lot independently, and I’m most grateful for that. We’ll continue to do so. We set personal targets and remained consistent. We also maintained contact with people even when things weren’t going well, and I believe that’s where many people fail. What I’ve learned is to try to be in the right places to showcase your brand, regardless of what it is.
How do you feel your background in the music industry, particularly in understanding trends and building a brand, has influenced your approach to marketing and growing your food businesses?
Having a visually appealing product and generating positive word-of-mouth through collaborations with influencers and providing them with complimentary meals.
With such varied and impressive career moves so far, what do you want to explore in your future as an entrepreneur?
I would love to open a space that offers a variety of practical skill-learning opportunities.
Any bucket list career goals?
I still need to mark off a number one record from my list. Irie Ldn to have its own location.
Can you tell us about the plans for Irie Ldn?
Myself and Nam have officially launched “Irie Ldn” which will be a restaurant which is a pop up around London, We recently took over a restaurant on Portobello Road, “trailer Happiness” and it was a huge success. Stay locked as we have more news on the above.
