New Business Week: Som Legacy Restaurant

Q&A with the Business Owner

What’s your full name?

My full name is Sucad Jabril Muhammed, but you can call me Suki.

When did you open your business?

November 2023

What inspired your business idea?

I am passionate about cooking and I’m good with business. It’s in my background with my family, you know, family businesses. I love it, and that’s where I get it from. Actually, my name, Som Legacy, is short for Somali Legacy. I’m originally from Somalia.

The business name was born in Thailand, where I was living in 2019. I actually landed in Canada in 2020 with a plan to go to university, try to get a scholarship, and become a legal assistant. That didn’t work out because it wasn’t a dream of mine, so I found myself just thinking hard about my future.

I worked up the courage and said, “I’m getting this, and I can do it.” I know it’s a lot of work, and it’s very hard work. Like serving people, taking care of their health, giving them fresh food, and worrying about cleanliness and customers’ safety and health. Yeah, it’s a lot of work. But I have this passion, you know, doing all these things; it’s what I want.

What do you think makes your business different?

Because of where we are, in Canada, we have hundreds of nationalities here. I’m East African, so that plays into my brand. The West End has many restaurants that serve West African cuisine, and the restaurants that serve East African cuisine serve Ethiopian or Eritrean food, which is quite different from other East African Cuisines.

Our cuisine is what makes us different. We mix East African and Middle Eastern cuisines—that’s our specialty—and we also make international food. You can also find Greek dishes here, Italian dishes, and a lot of different foods, including local dishes. We do have a menu, but we’re trying to change it this week. Our new menu is coming up soon, and it’s going to have a little bit of everything.

What’s your message to your current and future customers?

I want them to come and try some good food! I want us to get to know each other, build a community with different nationalities, and talk about the West End and the change happening within the city and our area.

I want my customers to have experiences and learn from each other. When they come in here and find an Italian person sitting or East African eating here, I like knowing that they can start a conversation and get to know each other from here. I would love that kind of multiculturalism, yeah, definitely, like a melting pot of cultures.

I meet so many different people, and you know, we take it as an honour here. It’s not just about the food. I talk to people, like, how are you? How’s your family? What’s going on? It’s not like you come in here, you need that and just leave… I am hoping that my customers will be happier, not just with our service, but also because we care about their well-being. So, we’ll notice if they’re not feeling well and offer a hug or shake their hands and make sure they’re good.

Giveaway Contest

Enter the contest for a chance to win one of THREE prizes.  Visit any of the participating businesses and submit your entry. Each participating business has a draw box where you can enter your name for a chance to win! No purchase is necessary; for full contest details, please click here. 

Participating Businesses

• Mofe International at 569 Ellice Ave (Open Monday to Saturday) 
• Wolseley Eyecare at 986B Portage Avenue (Open Tuesday to Saturday) 
• Som Legacy at 726 Sargent Avenue (Open Tuesday to Sunday)
• Miss Luxe Hair & Beauty at 466 Sherbrook St (Open Monday to Saturday) 

Age requirement: you have to be 18 or older to participate.

Contest running period: The contest will run from April 22nd to 30th. You can visit the participating businesses anytime between these dates. The operating hours will vary for each business, so plan accordingly.

Winner Announcement: The winners will be announced on April 30th and contacted through the provided phone number and/or email address on the card.