KOTIANDE YOMO

What brought you to Centennial College?

I chose Centennial College because of its strong reputation in business and marketing education, especially in Scarborough where I grew up. I wanted practical, hands-on training that would help me turn my ideas into a real brand. The Business Marketing program’s focus on entrepreneurship, branding, and digital strategy felt like the perfect recipe to launch my business and share my story.

Tell us about your favourite Centennial College experience?

One of my favourite experiences was filming an episode of my cooking show, In The Mix, with Centennial’s own Executive Chef Lilian Cardoso at The Local restaurant. Not only was it an amazing collaboration, but it also allowed me to see my PiliPili spices showcased on campus, bringing my passion full circle.

What impact has Centennial College had on your life?

Centennial College gave me the foundation to build and grow my brand, PiliPili Spices. The skills I learned from marketing analytics to professional selling helped me create products, tell my story, and connect with customers. It also gave me opportunities to collaborate with the college community, expand my reach, and develop confidence as an entrepreneur.

What are you up to now?

I’m currently running PiliPili Spices, a premium line of all-natural herbs and seasonings inspired by African culture and global cuisines. Alongside that, I’m wrapping up Season 1 of my cooking show, In The Mix, where I bring diverse dishes to life using my spice blends and share the cultural stories behind them.

I’m also gearing up to debut the Spice Master Bootcamp documentary to the public filmed at Rick Hansen Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario which follows 14 incredible high school students as they learned the art, health benefits, and cultural importance of spices. From touring the spice production facility to cooking hands-on dishes, the program gave them a full-circle culinary experience that we’re excited to share with the world.

Looking ahead, I’m planning to continue filming more episodes of the Bootcamp, expand it to reach more schools, and build new partnerships (to be announced this fall) that will help bring bold, authentic flavors to even more kitchens and communities.

Current city of residence

Scarborough, Ontario, Canada