All over the world, Kenyans are making remarkable achievements in their careers. Equally, the English Premier League is not left out.
At Arsenal Football Club (FC), Chef Bernice Kariuki is making a name for herself following her appointment as the first-team chef.
Born and raised in Nairobi's Eastlands (Jericho), she was appointed in 2021 by the London-based football club as it transitioned to the new management following the appointment of Mikel Arteta as the manager.
Before working for the Gunners, Kariuki had a remarkable career in the hospitality industry and has worked in some prestigious hotels in the United Kingdom (UK).
Some of the hotels she worked for include Dorchester Hotel and the Waldorf Hilton Hotel which are both based in London.
"A girl from the ghetto Jericho living nothing but her dreams. May I reintroduce myself as Arsenal's first-team private chef," Kariuki stated as she announced her appointment.
Following her appointment to the Arsenal backroom staff, Kariuki is involved in the preparation of meals for the first team players at the London Colney training ground such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicholas Pepe, Thomas Partey among others.
The Kenyan chef also works alongside other distinguished chefs such as Darren Taylor who is an executive team Chef at the club. The team is also tasked with overseeing the menu of the team as nutrition is a high priority in the English game.
“Some of the roles include managing the wellbeing and nutrition of the team on a daily basis both pre and post-match.
“The work also involves designing healthy, nutritious menus before travelling with the team on all home and away matches and cooking exclusively for the players, management, and technical team,” Taylor stated.
Consequently, some of the players have already credited the recent turn of form at the club to the changes that have been made by Arteta together with the chefs.
“I wasn't eating great, I wasn't drinking that well, before games I wasn't really that hydrated but since then I've tried to focus so much on it,” Smith Rowe confessed.
During a meeting between Kenyans living in the UK and the Kenyan High Commissioner to the UK Manoah Esipisu, the diplomat took to social media to congratulate Kariuki for her remarkable achievement.
"Delighted to bump into Arsenal first-team chef Bernice Kariuki at a black-tie Kenya UK Diaspora event in Windsor, Berkshire. Trailblazing and embodying the Kenyan 'can do' spirit. Congratulations," the diplomat stated.
Other Kenyans have also congratulated the chef with some Gunners creating a light moment to put in a request as Arsenal prepares to travel to Old Trafford. Arsenal will face off with Manchester United on December 2.
“Can we please have boiled yams and spicy Indian Phal Curry for Wednesday dinner? We want to see something on Thursday,” Tallam stated.
