---
title: "Cornbread Co-Founder and CEO Named one of 2022’s Best 50 Women in Business by NJBIZ"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/9fe16247-ee34-4ac2-a25e-59f41ef8be57
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/news/20221116_cornbread_cofounder_and_ceo_named_one_of_2022s_best_50_women_in_business_by.html
category: "Bakery & breakfast"
industry: "Restaurants"
segment: "Bakery & breakfast"
topics: ["People"]
published: 2022-11-16T12:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T01:07:47.764Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1551836022-deb4988cc6c0?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Cornbread Co-Founder and CEO Named one of 2022’s Best 50 Women in Business by NJBIZ

**TL;DR:** Adenah Bayoh, co-founder and CEO of Cornbread, has been named one of NJBIZ's Best 50 Women in Business for 2022. Cornbread is a fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in soul food, founded by Bayoh and Elzadie Smith.

*originally published in Franchising.com on 2022-11-16. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/news/20221116_cornbread_cofounder_and_ceo_named_one_of_2022s_best_50_women_in_business_by.html).*

## Story

“I am honored and proud to be receiving this recognition from NJBIZ,” said Cornbread Co-Founder and CEO Adenah Bayoh. “I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to uplift and serve communities across the state through a variety of diverse business opportunities. This value is also a big part of Cornbread’s mission as we continue to provide food and comfort to new communities.”

Cornbread Farm to Soul - is a fast-casual restaurant focusing on savory soul food and family-friendly experiences. The brand specializes in mouthwatering soul food creations such as baked mac & cheese, collard greens, yams, chicken and of course the signature cornbread. From the first ingredient, to the right combination of seasoning, to the final product, Cornbread has worked hard to develop flavor profiles of every single dish. Some other Cornbread menu items include soul food classics such as catfish, cabbage, and savory peach cobbler.

Cornbread was created by co-founders Adenah Bayoh and Elzadie Smith. Smith, a native of Tifton, GA, has a background in culinary arts as well as a family history of being in the kitchen. Her grandfather was a farmer and restaurant owner in the South, where she should would learn some of her skills.

Her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for cooking connected her with Bayoh to create the Cornbread chain. Smith’s recipes are healthy, savory and are responsibly sourced. The two set out to become pioneers as the first successful soul food chain.

Bayoh, a first-generation immigrant, managed to escape the civil war in her native country of Liberia at age 13. When she first arrived in the U.S.

, she dreamt of becoming one of the most successful entrepreneurs in her new home. Bayoh worked hard to become the owner of 8 restaurants, which include 4 IHOP franchises in northern New Jersey. She opened her first IHOP at the age of 27, making her one of the youngest franchisees in the country at that time.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- General (sector)
- award recognition (topic)
- restaurant chain (topic)
- IHOP (company)
- women in business (topic)
- soul food (topic)
- NJBIZ (regulator)
- Cornbread (company)
- Adenah Bayoh (person)
- Elzadie Smith (person)

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Originally reported by Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/news/20221116_cornbread_cofounder_and_ceo_named_one_of_2022s_best_50_women_in_business_by.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/9fe16247-ee34-4ac2-a25e-59f41ef8be57).