Probably many of you would t agree with this but I felt that sharing this with you will really have some meaning. Personally I give priority
to the staff who I supervise or whom I work with.
Running a successful restaurant isnt a magic. But its the understanding of eating or food trends. Eating habits of people are dynamic. However restaurant ownership should not overlook its human resources.
~Retaining loyal customers and finding good employees are perhaps the two biggest challenges of restaurant ownership.
If you’re like most restaurant owners you likely struggle with both of these problems. Likewise, you end up expending a lot of energy on getting new customers but are unable to keep them because you can’t seem to find or keep good employees that care as much about your customers as you do.
Maybe it’s time to expend more of your energy on keeping good employees.
We’ve all heard the old axiom “The customer comes first”, but in his bestselling book “The Customer Comes Second”, Hal Rosenbluth espouses the huge benefits of putting his employees first and his customers second. And we happen to agree with him.
What Rosenbluth discovered, and what we have seen as a common trait in many successful restaurants is this: If you are able to make your employees feel they are cared about, respected and valued, they, in turn, will do the same for your customers.
One of the easiest ways to make employees feel valued is through daily recognition when they do a good job. Taking a couple minutes to tell a cook you appreciate him following the recipe book or keeping his station clean provides an instant dose of pride that won’t wear off soon.
Or how do you think it makes a server feel if during the shift lineup you recognize her in front of her peers for doing a great job of handling a difficult customer? Recognition is one of the most powerful culture building tools at your disposal – and it doesn’t cost a dime.
Building a culture where employees feel cared about, respected and valued is the way to go.
Seriously , give your employees the spice they deserve and start seeing the result.
Probably many of you would t agree with this but I felt that sharing this with you will really have some meaning. Personally I give priority
to the staff who I supervise or whom I work with.
Running a successful restaurant isnt a magic. But its the understanding of eating or food trends. Eating habits of people are dynamic. However restaurant ownership should not overlook its human resources.
~Retaining loyal customers and finding good employees are perhaps the two biggest challenges of restaurant ownership.
If you’re like most restaurant owners you likely struggle with both of these problems. Likewise, you end up expending a lot of energy on getting new customers but are unable to keep them because you can’t seem to find or keep good employees that care as much about your customers as you do.
Maybe it’s time to expend more of your energy on keeping good employees.
We’ve all heard the old axiom “The customer comes first”, but in his bestselling book “The Customer Comes Second”, Hal Rosenbluth espouses the huge benefits of putting his employees first and his customers second. And we happen to agree with him.
What Rosenbluth discovered, and what we have seen as a common trait in many successful restaurants is this: If you are able to make your employees feel they are cared about, respected and valued, they, in turn, will do the same for your customers.
One of the easiest ways to make employees feel valued is through daily recognition when they do a good job. Taking a couple minutes to tell a cook you appreciate him following the recipe book or keeping his station clean provides an instant dose of pride that won’t wear off soon.
Or how do you think it makes a server feel if during the shift lineup you recognize her in front of her peers for doing a great job of handling a difficult customer? Recognition is one of the most powerful culture building tools at your disposal – and it doesn’t cost a dime.
Building a culture where employees feel cared about, respected and valued is the way to go.
Seriously , give your employees the spice they deserve and start seeing the result.
Originally considered as a dish of the Kikuyu people in Kenya, irio is a he
nutritious accompaniment to meals that has become popular throughout Kenya and international. Until the normal boring plain mashed Potatoes, It has many variations, but potatoes and peas are the staple ingredients with corn the most common addition. Irio is famously paired with grilled steak in the combination known as nyama na irio .Or paired with beef stew. Pairing remains ones desition
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4 to 6 servings Ingredients :
2 cups green peas
11/2 kg peeled Potatoes
Water — to cover
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
2 cups corn Fresh or frozen
1 bunch of pumkin leaves or spinach:equivalent to around 1/2kg blanched and blend.
2 medium red onions chopped
4 knobs butter/margarine Method :
1. Place the peas and potatoes in a large skillet/sauce pan and add water to cover. Stir in the salt and place over medium flame. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked through. Drain, reserving the liquid.
2. Simmer the corn with a little salted water in a separate saucepan for a few minutes while the potatoes and peas are cooking.
3. Mash the potatoes and peas together with a potato masher, Put in the pureed spinach/pumpkin leaves to
form a pale green colour. Stir in the corn with a little of the reserved liquid and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4.In a frying pan add the butter and the onions. Fry till pale, pour in the potato mixture. Mix well
Serve hot accompanied by Beef stew or skewers.
Variations
In Kenya, dried green peas are often used for this dish and need to be soaked in water and then cooked separately from the potatoes.
As mentioned before add a little butter to the final puree for a little more flavor if you like.
Stir some lima beans or sauteed greens into the puree for added flavor, texture and colour . For dried peas you can still leave out the greens if you so wish
r
Outside the park lies the villlage of Mto Wa Mbu, which means “mosquito creek”. this is a major stop off point for people going on safari to the Serengeti, Lake Manyara, and Ngorongoro Crater. Here is a large and thriving craft market where one can buy souvenirs. You should however bargain very hard and not accept the first price offered.
A night barbeque and traditional banana beer is the suprise. I enjoyed my stay by visiting Manyara national park which is a home of elephants and tree climbing lions.
When here make sure you visit rice farms and miwalenyi Waterfall. At Mto Wa Mbu you will find villlage guides from Cultural Tourist Programe who are expirienced in guiding you within the villlage ,of course on a fee.
International Chefs Day, held every October 20, is recognized around the world by members of the Worlds Association of Chefs. It is a day to celebrate our profession and the camaraderie that exists among so many in our field.
Kenya Chefs Association has for many years celebrated this day by visiting students who are pursuing catering /culinary Studies in colleges. However last year KCA did not celebrate the Chefs day but saved the day to give back to the less fortunate in the society during Christmas holidays. This year 2015,we visited Tumaini Childrens Home Bamburi Mombasa, Kenya delivering a delicious hot lunch with the provision to over 100 students.
It was a very fast paced event, over 100 students were served in about an hour, thanks to quick hands and ladles! Staff also enjoyed a plate of delicious variety ~Juicy roasted chicken and awesome gravy!, Vegetable ratatouille and Rice, awesome cakes and fruits and many many more.
As interest in volunteering for this annual event grows, Kenya Chefs Association hopes to provide more opportunities to give back to our community. We welcome any and all members interested in events like this to join us next year, and watch for more charitable functions we have planned for the future.
Many thanks to hotels and private chefs who participated to this noble cause, Not forgetting Kenchic Kenya Ltd for providing us with their best grain fed chickens and also Farmers Choice Ltd for their Sausages. And finally to the Management of the school for letting us provide our services
International Chefs Day, held every October 20, is recognized around the world by members of the Worlds Association of Chefs. It is a day to celebrate our profession and the camaraderie that exists among so many in our field.
Kenya Chefs Association has for many years celebrated this day by visiting students who are pursuing catering /culinary Studies in colleges. However last year KCA did not celebrate the Chefs day but saved the day to give back to the less fortunate in the society during Christmas holidays. This year 2015,we visited Tumaini Childrens Home Bamburi Mombasa, Kenya delivering a delicious hot lunch with the provision to over 100 students.
It was a very fast paced event, over 100 students were served in about an hour, thanks to quick hands and ladles! Staff also enjoyed a plate of delicious variety ~Juicy roasted chicken and awesome gravy!, Vegetable ratatouille and Rice, awesome cakes and fruits and many many more.
As interest in volunteering for this annual event grows, Kenya Chefs Association hopes to provide more opportunities to give back to our community. We welcome any and all members interested in events like this to join us next year, and watch for more charitable functions we have planned for the future.
Many thanks to hotels and private chefs who participated to this noble cause, Not forgetting Kenchic Kenya Ltd for providing us with their best grain fed chickens and also Farmers Choice Ltd for their Sausages. And finally to the Management of the school for letting us provide our services
Wings are wonderful! So easy and delicious, a perfect spicy appetizer! Ingredients:
1kg frozen chicken wings
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce/dark soy sauce
1/4 cup crushed garlic
1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno /red Chillies
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil Procedure :
Add all ingredients to list
Place chicken wings on a non-greased cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning once, until golden brown. Move to serving dish/platter.
In a medium skillet saute garlic and jalapeno peppers in olive oil until soft. Add chicken broth, fish sauce, paprika and sugar. Add cornstarch and let thicken. Stir all together and pour over crispy chicken wings. Enjoy!
As a General rule, rice pilaf as it is refered to in most kitchens is a heavily spiced fragrant rice. If U are a vegetarian, omit the meat and use vegetables instead.if using beef, then leave the mutton out. Ingredients :
200 gm mutton (or beef) pieces, on the bone.
1 and a half cups(300g) Basmati/pishori rice, washed 2-3 times then soaked for half an hour.
2 onions, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 pieces each(option)
1/2 tsp cumin/coriander powder
1/2 tsp freshly ground roasted cumin powder
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp garlic paste
a bit of chopped coriander
1 tbsp whole jeera/cumin
1/2 tsp whole pepper
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cloves
2 cardamons
The basic method is the same (more or less), the main ingredients are what differ. So once you have the base down, then you are guaranteed excellent tasty pilau every single time, be it chicken, veggie, mutton, beef, shredded meat or mince meat that you’re using in it. Intructions :
First, clean and wash the meat, boil it with enough Water to cover the entire meat pcs ,in it Put 1 tsp each of ginger and garlic pastes, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 grated tomato and 1 grated onion. If you’re using a pressure cooker, mutton/lamb should be ready in about 25 mins. If boiling in an open pan, it might take a little over an hour…so you will have to keep adding enough water to keep the meat completely immersed in the water at all times. Beef generally takes longer to cook than mutton/lamb.
Once the meat is ready and tender, drain it and set aside. Reserve the soup for cooking the rice. For every cup of rice, you will need 1 and a quarter cup of liquid. So check how many cups of rice you have, and adjust the liquid accordingly. If there is too much soup, reduce some. If there is too little, compensate by adding water.
Heat a pan on the stove and heat the oil and butter. Remember that the rice will double after cooking, plus the meat and potatoes that will go in there, you will need to have enough space in the pan.
Then add the whole spices. Cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, cloves.
Once they splutter in the oil, add your chopped onions. Fry them until they are translucent, stirring with a wooden spoon. If you want a darker pilau, fry the onions until they are dark and caramelised. Then add the potatoes followed by the cumin/coriander powder.
Let these fry for a few minutes, then add the garlic paste and a bit of chopped coriander.
The aroma should by now be brilliant. Add in the boiled meat now. Stir together for a few minutes, then add the stock/soup and some salt. Let the stock simmer and taste for the salt.
When the water starts boiling, drain your rice and add this rice to the stock. Let this cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes then reduce the heat to medium and keep cooking it whilst covered until all the Water is absorbed , giving it a stir every now and then to make sure all the rice is cooked evenly and perfectly.
Once you find there is very little water left in the rice, reduce the heat to the lowest point possible. Seal your pan by using a tight lid or wetting a kitchen towel and placing it over the pan then placing a lid on top of it.
Leave the rice to continue steaming on very low heat for a good 10 mins. Switch off your cooker, it should well cooked by now. Serve with kachumbar salad. For me I serve with a different twist of egg, tomato and onion salad.
This is my story. Truth be told, it is a story of a journey that has led me till here 20 years down the line. Like any journey which you might undertake, it will take you from a point to another. Mine certainly has, a road filled with adventures, lost directions, U-turns, speed breakers and the occasional detours from the tracks. I will modestly say my life has been rewarding and satisfying so far as a hotelier.
Having worked in almost all levels within the food and Beverage department in hotels and hospitality sector i.e from being a kitchen helper,Chef De parte to a Sous chef. From being a Food and Beverage controller/Stores to a restaurant manager, Events and Banqueting Co-ordinator to a catering officer in different organizations. Generally, i do food, eat food and dream food whether service or production.As a private chef now, i still do corporate catering and sharing my experience to new upcoming chefs and young hospitality managers.
Growing up as a chef has never been easy. Not only having to toil away in professional kitchens: work for long hours, monotony pressures of running top-class kitchens takes a toll on chefs what could be assumed as occupational hazards. However being inspired from so many Michelin starred chefs with accomplished names in culinary field spice up my push.I persevered all, I stuck it out, and lasted and won several battles.Many times i felt like giving up but I got reminded by a short story which I read of a young man who asked the wise man,… Socrates,the’secret to success.’ Socrates patiently listened to the man’s question and told him to meet him near the river the following day for the answer. So the next day, Socrates asked the young man to walk with him towards the river. As they went in the river, the water got up to their neck. But to the young man’s surprise, Socrates ducked him into the water. The young man struggled to get out of the water, but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy started turning blue. Finally, Socrates pulled the man’s head out of the water. The young man gasped and took a deep breath of air. Socrates asked, ‘What did you want the most when your head was in the water?” The young man replied, “Air.” Socrates said, “That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted the air while you were in the water, then you will get it. There is no other secret.But again that is not the only secret because I have in my life to now 2023 fought so hard for success but many times close people around your Life determines what you will become. Kindness and trust, good heart so they say kills ones future ambitious.And that is a story of another day.
I was born in a typical kenyan Taita family at the coastal part of kenya.The youngest of Six siblings.My parents were a poor peasants citizens who had very little or no time to teach us values and most importantly to have fun and an optimistic future. It was a tough life, going hungry was the norm, i was the only one together with my sister who happens to be our second last born who had it the toughest amongst other siblings. Taking care of other peoples animals was what we could do for a few shillings.
Life was hell to say the least. Going to the bush, Tsavo national park to burn charcoal with my mother at the age of 10 was to say the least,hard. Our father was polygamous and by then had gotten out to his new wife and left my mum to feed us by herself. Our other siblings were in high school and living with relatives. It really took those tough value systems to heart and sought fun. My School Studies were just another chore to be done because you don’t have other choices. You might have come across child prodigies – children from a tender age know what they want to become when they grow up or even parents narrating with pride how their son/daughter will grow up and become a lawyer or a teacher or a doctor, or an engineer. I had no idea to who I would become. I was busy harangued by my older brothers. Yes I do remember helping my mother fetching water and getting firewood with the occasional job in the kitchen.
Naturally, she cooked for us before she left for farm hard jobs. Piping-hot food was like a fantasy I dreamt of with the same intensity as many children my age would dream of being. I began spending more and more time in the kitchen and before I realized it, it was my hobby.But it never inspired me to be what I am today. It happened by a coincidence. Life did not matter then.
After doing my 8 years in primary level I proceeded to high school not knowing where school fees would come from. Due to lack of support system in school fees , most of the days would pass by without attending classes due to lack of school study materials and fees. Surprisingly when I sat for my end of a secondary schools exams I came out the best student overal . Yes! number One .
As I got older, I realized that I was drawn to smells and sights of people . The eureka moment came when I was watching TV program extolling (by then it was a black and white Tv in our neighbours house) the benefits and future of hotel management institutes. There was a time where every youth wanted to be only a doctor or engineer or a lawyer. that was it! Of course there were government and defence jobs for some but it didn’t matter to me. Four years in high school was ok, though I would spend even two months without attending classes due to luck of school fees as mentioned earlier. So, my fourth and last year in high school took a different turn. I GOT MARRIED! Yes I got married when i was doing my high school finals at the age of Nineteen .I have given up!!!
And as I write this story am a father of Three pretty Kids, Two boys and a girl.Two are young Adults and the last born still under.
Son and daughterSon and Daddy
When I finished my O level exams now my older brothers were working and they had a stable income, so i travelled to Mombasa from my rural home to see if I could secure a job, any job for that matter to help provide for my young family. My brother was so nice and supportive and decided to take me to a college, but suggested a different course from my hobby of cooking which never mattered to me. Shipping, clearing forwarding and international trade is the course I studied,One year later I graduated with a certificate in Clearing and forwarding which I was proud of. Interestingly, I went ahead to seek employment in hotel industry. With no training in hospitality ,things were not rosy but however I managed to push until Inter-Continental resort in Mombasa gave me an apprentice opportunity to training within their Food and Beverage department, kitchen then butcher, The training focused on Restaurant, food and drinks store etc.Due to my background of harsh life back to the village ,I couldn’t let any chance pas by. After three months of training within the hotel, I was employed as a casual within the kitchen . My Career took off. For two years with the hotel chain i decided to go to one of Kenyan premiere hotel training college ~Kenyan Utalii College to study Institutional Catering and culinary Studies.
T
My two years of college were modestly successful. I won trophies and awards at cooking competitions, yet I never excelled as a student.But I wanted to badly very badly ask any student from an institute worth its salt, what is the ultimate aspiration. The answer most likely you might find is getting into a management program. And the best program.
But as badly as I wanted to be there, life definitely had a plan for me. The plan started with my first job at Mediterranean Italian Restaurant in Kenyas capital city, Nairobi.I waited patiently all those months working as a drone in the basement kitchens only working in later shifts and chopping veggies for an aspiring chef to a fast food restaurant.. at least a hotel kitchen is what I thought I was worth of I asked God why????? As a young aspiring chef I wanted to grow , to roar beyond imagination The next pit stop was a Pizzeria and fast food Inter view, Steers restaurant. The interviews were taking place in their head office, quite a distance from where I was working. I had no time to waste because i wanted to play first fiddle not second, Never. As an aspiring hotelier you need to work as many outlets as possible to have an edge in the industry so I thought.
I will modestly say my life has been rewarding and satisfying so far as a chef, Not because of the money but because it gave me an opportunity to travel, adventure, meet many people.And more importantly naturing many talents.
So i did not want to miss this opportunity to work for steers/ debonairs restaurants.I left for the bus stage hurriedly forgetting in my excitement that i had to wear smartly for an interview. I found a hospital nearby the restaurant where I asked them if I could wash and change, luckily they agreed. At 7 am, I stood in front of HR office of the Steers food chain where I was told the interviews would have to be postponed. The HR manager explained the circumstances in the restaurant were not able to carry out the interviews because the CEO of Steers and Debonairs Pizza was in the house and all managers, needless to say, were on their toes that day. I told the HR that I would leave only on two conditions either I get selected or rejected that day itself. He asked me to wait and finally at 11.30 am he came to me, woke me up. By then I had fallen asleep on a warm couch in the waiting office and asked me if I was ready for the interview.Yes i was.The interview was done and i got hired. So after spending almost two years in their Kitchen i moved to one of the largest Casino in Nairobi and this time i was ready for the battle and finally got my dream . A bigger ,larger operation.
The year 2004 I moved again.This time was the year for a remarkable change, i landed my first overseas assignment job with sky chefs which caters for international airport passengers based in Dar-es-alaam Tanzania. This time not only as a Chef but doubled up being a head of operations. It was really a test of my catering career, serving 1000 to 3000 meals a day! My one year stay at sky chefs catering made me discover what food really is in all its forms, as ingredients, as support system, as a business, as history ,culture and many more things. It was an assault on my senses. The working was almost bordering on military-like precision. Long, hard working hours, on-the job trainings, presentations, assignments and projects.
At the airport waiting bay
At the end, the job in its inherent design ensured you became a culinary champ who knows food and mastered it well. We were sought-after commodities in the world. I worked for exact one year and left for another assignment. The disillusionment of trying to relate on what was taught in school, what industry or airline catering is versus what happens in the hotel was a little too much for me to handle.
I left and moved to Mafia islands at Kinasi lodge/hotel where I truly understood food as a business not about cooking but about owning your tasks and seeking its fruition, re-innovating and taking a second look on first impressions. I worked here for two tourist season 2005/2006/2007 and together with some of the most phenomenal chefs from UK, Thailand and USA. One among them is chef Matt (USA) , I understand he now doing his own charcutuire~Hinckley Fancy Meats. big up Bwana Mkeka. Chef Sean Milla (UK) as well running restaurants in Liverpool ~The Pruno and the Open door just to mention but a few.
Chef Matt Henkley and Chef Eliud
I gained a vision and working style that cemented further growth and ambitions in me. A new sense of responsibility got in me.
Early 2008 I left Mafia islands and my next stop was Mombasa. Went to Lamu island, start there for four months…. but it couldn’t give me what I was Looking for.
So i left headed back to Tanzania . This time in one of the best tourist safari circuit region of Arusha.Joined one of the 5 star lodge(Eunoto lodge) located at Mto wa Mbu Manyara national park this time as a Lodge Chef Manager for One year after the owner closed and relocated to his home area in Texas USA.
Coming back again to mombasa where I landed a job with prideinn hotels and resorts ,now prestigious chain hotels as a Banquet and events Co-ordinator, before quiting to start my own eatery – The Mzedu Kitchen which survived for a year before unseen circumstances hit followed by COVID-19 epidermic. At first I served Indian food, the locals ( Indians and Arabs settled in but could never be Kenyanized or Internationalized. They stuck to the use of spices just in almost everything. It took me about five months to sense what was required. The food that we crafted was nothing short of food porn. The journey still continues. I say once a soldier you die like a soldier.
Ingredients
1kg – 1.5kg chicken drumsticks
3 freed range eggs, beaten
1/4 cup flour
500g breadcrumbs
White pepper powder
1-2 tsp paprika
Oi, for brushing
Slaw
1/3 cup good quality or homemade
mayonnaise
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp lime or lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
4-5 cups finely sliced cabbage
(purple, savoy)
1 carrot, peeled and grated or shaved
Method
Preheat the oven to 200c (or 180c
fan bake), and line a roasting tray
with baking paper.
Lay the drums on on a clean board.
Pat dry, then pull the skins back up
to cover the chicken meat, if they
have sagged down (sorry, that’s the
only way I could think to explain it).
Season all over with black and white
pepper, paprika and salt. Toss them
in a bag with the flour to coat evenly,
and dust off the excess.
Tip the crumbs into a large bowl, and
the beaten eggs in another. Dip each
floured drumstick in the egg wash, let
the excess egg drip off for a few
seconds, then coat with a layer of
crumbs, pressing it all in to
coat as thick as possible.
Arrange the drums in the roasting
tray (not touching), and either drizzle
with oil or use a pastry brush to
gently dab each one with oil all over.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or
until golden brown and crunchy. You
can turn them over once if you like.
To make the slaw, mix the mayo,
sesame oil, lime juice and garlic
together and toss through the other
ingredients in a bowl. Season with
salt and pepper.
Mzedu Kitchen 