Details Of CS Ababu's Meeting With Kenyan Chef Who Formerly Cooked For Arsenal

Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba on Tuesday, January 23 met Kenyan chef, Bernice Kariuki, who was known for her two-year stint at English Premier League club, Arsenal where she served as its chef.

The CS hosted the renowned sports nutritionist and private chef at his office where they engaged in a wide range of discussions spanning sports nutrition and dieting.

CS Ababu called on Chef Bernice to extend her wealth of experience and knowledge in the sports nutrition arena to Kenya's national teams's fold.

Celebrated Kenyan chef Bernice Kariuki chats with Sports CS Ababu Namwamba at his office on January 24, 2024. /MINISTRY OF SPORTS

"The celebrity chef, famous for having a section of Arsenal Football Club's players on her list of clients, assured the CS of her willingness to work with the Ministry on matters of nutrition, which is key to ensuring optimum performance of athletes," the Ministry of Sports stated, with its sentiments echoed by Kariuki on her social media pages.

During the visit, Kariuki gifted CS Ababu an Arsenal jersey for the ongoing 2023/24 season featuring his first name printed on the back as well as jersey number '1'.

On May 29, 2023, Kariuki announced her exit from Arsenal after two years of cooking exclusively for first-team players, the management team and members of the club’s technical bench under the supervision of the club's executive chef.

She announced her departure on social media, despite coming in the back of the 2022/23 football season where Arsenal finished second in the Premier League behind reigning champions Manchester City, their best season since the Invincibles era which saw them go an entire season without defeat.

She further appreciated Arsenal's impressive campaign that came to an end with a 5-0 thrashing against Wolves at the Emirates Stadium in North London.

“A final day flourish. Finished the season with a bang! Simply the best!!! Arsenal… Arsenal… Arsenal.. 2020/2023 is the best special season ever I hang my gloves as a very proud chef it’s been an honour working for the best club in the whole world…I was truly humbled!” she wrote.

The chef also thanked Kenyans for their support, adding: “More blessings my next job it’s like dream royally truly humbled…Asanteni sana especially my country.”

Kariuki had been cooking for the team players and the management team for the past two years. She also managed the daily well-being and nutrition of the team before and after matches as well as menus for the travelling team.

She was born and raised in Nairobi’s Jericho Estate and joined Arsenal in mid-2021 on the heels of Mikel Arteta being appointed as Arsenal's head coach, as the first-team private chef.

"A girl from the ghetto Jericho living nothing but her dreams. May I reintroduce myself as Arsenal's first-team private chef," wrote Kariuki on social media at the time following her appointment.