Xavier Student Launches Affordable Meal Service for Classmates

By Zaria Fenderson

Students are struggling to get by each week due to rising grocery prices. Instead of accepting things as they are,chef and current mass communication sophomore Oba El is creating his own wave through his food business, Oba Cooks.The student-centered food business is dedicated to giving people access to affordable, homemade meals.

“Food shouldn’t be a ‘luxury,’” El said.

His love for cooking started when he was young. Growing up, he experimented with different flavors and taught himself until he felt that cooking had become a natural part of who he was. He remembers helping prepare meals duringfamily get-togethers and seeing how food could make everyone come together and shift the mood of anyone in the room.

“At this stage, I feel like it’s become more than a hobby for me,” El said.

His close friend Delawrence Howard noticed El’s concern for classmates juggling school, jobs, and expenses.

“He would always say how he hated to see people go through that and felt like if one meal could take away someone’s stress, then he’d done something right,” Howard said.

He realized that something was missing: authentic, reasonably priced food that tastes good and feels homemade.

El said he often heard students talking about missing meals, choosing cheap junk food, or just going without eating because better options were too expensive. That was what really pushed him to take a leap of faith.

“For many people, students especially, the struggle is real right now,” El said. “It’s difficult for people to have tochoose between paying bills and eating good meals.”

At that point, Oba Cooks grew from a business idea into something more.

He started doing small test runs: meal prepping for classmates, bringing dishes to events, and taking survey feedback from anyone willing to taste-test.

“I’ve always had a business mindset, so when I noticed the disparity, I saw a business opportunity and decided to go for it,” El said

Even as he works through the challenges of starting a food-related business, Oba stays grounded in why he’s doing it.

Students who’ve sampled his early menu feel the same way.

“With me being from out of state, eating his food makes you feel like you’re eating at home. Not many people cando that,” said Amiyah Hoover, a sophomore at Xavier University of Louisiana.

He believes that feeding people is one of the most successful ways to show care. El’s mission is quite clear as hegets ready to start his business: he’s not just making food, but making real food made by someone who cares.

 “If I can make sure everyone eats good and feels the same way, then I’m doing my part,” he said.