Bernice Kariuki: How pilau landed me a job at Arsenal

Bernice Kariuki outside Emirates Stadium in London. [Facebook: Bernice Kariuki]

Upbringing

Having grown up in Jericho, Nairobi, Bernice said her early life pushed her to be a go-getter as she was determined to succeed.

"I went to Jeshi la Wokovu, Makadara, for nursery then I proceeded to Rabai Road Primary School and I did very well.

"I didn't like the high school I was taken to (Precious Blood) and I was expelled within the first few weeks for being naughty. My dad then took me to a school in Nyandarua," she said.

Upon completion of her high school education, she told her dad she wanted to leave Kenya and at the age of 17, she had already moved to Sweden.

She joined a culinary school and did a course for 18 months but she did not like the food they were cooking.

"Nobody told me ukienda Sweden unakula chakula ya Swedish. Nilitaka kuwa chef wa zile chakula sisi huona kwa TV (I wanted to prepare the meals I used to see on TV)...I became a pastry chef."

Bernice then moved to the UK and even though her dad wanted her to pursue medicine, she was not passionate about it and opted for Psychology instead.

She practised it for seven years before going back to her first love, cooking.

Bernice has worked for both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspurs. [Facebook: Bernice Kariuki]

"I had to pay 16,000pounds for a 48-week course...I got a loan, completed the course, and I can say it was worth it."

Asked about the high-calibre clients she has worked with, Bernice said most of them value privacy and she prefers not to mention their names.

She says being a private chef comes with its fair share of challenges as she is often travelling and works 14 hours a day, 90 hours a week.

"People think I am swimming in money but in actual sense mimi ni hustler wa Jeri...," she said.