“The goal is to not let your kids go through the same struggles you went through,” these are the words that keep Anthony Bishop focused in his hustle in Qatar.
Bishop is a Kenyan running a successful food business in Qatar named Jikoni restaurant that serves Kenyan and East African delicacies.
The restaurant has provided a sense of home to Kenyans in Qatar for the 2022 World Cup including Citizen TV’s Willis Raburu and his colleagues.
In an interview with Citizen TV on Tuesday, December 6, the Information Technology (IT) graduate from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) noted that he has employed five people, a majority of which are Kenyans.
Bishop’s trip began in 2016, when he relocated to Qatar in quest of better lands. Nevertheless, as his contract expired, he was compelled to look for work elsewhere.
The chef said, “I once wanted to quit up; I even told my mother I was going back to Kenya, but she reassured me things will get better.
In partnership with a friend from Pakistan who had a restaurant, Bishop proposed to set aside a day (Friday) to sell Kenyan delicacies.
“I approached and told him I noticed the space did not attract a lot of customers so I asked if we could sell Kenyan food on Fridays,” he narrated, adding that the Pakistani friend was first hesitant before eventually agreeing to the deal.
Many Kenyans flooded the eatery as a result of the idea’s positive reception. Over time, he made the decision to move to a location near the majority of his clients on Doha’s Old Airport street.
He primarily serves Kenyan specialties including githeri, which he sells for Ksh670, as well as mukimo, mutura, njahi (black beans), chapati, sukuma wiki, and matumbo.
A serving of mukimo at Jikoni restaurant goes for Ksh1,000 while customers who want to enjoy mutura, njahi, chapati, sukuma wiki, and matumbo have to part with Ksh340, Ksh670, Ksh65, Ksh500 and Ksh500 respectively.
From his menu, a half slice of avocado goes for Ksh330 (10 QAR) while a full avocado goes for Ksh670 (20 QAR). The entrepreneur stated that almost 90 per cent of the ingredients are sourced from Kenya to guarantee authenticity
Bishop illustrated the significance of resiliency and tenacity among the youngsters working on their jobs despite their locations by using the example of Metro Man, who became an international sensation.
“In the next five years, I want to franchise my business, to have different branches spread across,” the chef declared who attributed his success to his craftiness and ability to interact and easily adapt.
