Nairobi, Kenya – Sep 10 – In September 1999, Kevin Onyona embarked on a journey to the United States, driven by love and the desire to reconnect with his girlfriend, who had moved to Maryland for her studies.
Little did he know that this journey would take an unexpected turn, leading him on a path to become a pioneer in the culinary world, bringing African cuisine to America.
Kevin Onyona’s decision to travel across continents was fueled by love, as he sought to bridge the gap left by his girlfriend’s departure. However, upon arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport, a new love affair began – one with the allure of America itself.
“I went to the US chasing for love. I went to visit this young lady who I was dating, and she had left a void when she left to go to school. I went to see her, and the rest is history, as she is now the mother of my four children,” he reminisced in an interview this with Capital FM.
While working as a sales executive at Home Depot in the United States, Onyona often found himself frustrated by the lack of African restaurants that offered a fine dining experience suitable for family outings.
“All the time to take out my family to eat out, restaurants around did not have dinner spaces. They did not have places that served a nice, decent meal with good hygiene and ambiance. There was no African fine dining to take my family,” he explained.
Rather than merely complain about the absence of suitable dining options, Onyona decided to be the change he wanted to see. He made the bold choice to resign from his job and venture into the hospitality industry to address the unmet need he had identified.
“I quit the job to open a restaurant with a decent restroom. The few African restaurants in Maryland didn’t fit in the fine dining space. I found a problem in the community, the African community, who were struggling to find a good space to dine with their families and enjoy the foods they were familiar with,” he said.
Onyona’s passion for cooking, nurtured during his childhood while watching his grandmother prepare meals, guided his career path. He firmly believes that everyone should have some culinary skills.
With the guidance of a consultant, Onyona embarked on a journey of self-discovery in the culinary arts. His determination and love for cooking led to the establishment of a restaurant that exclusively serves African cuisine.
In 2016, ‘Swahili Village’ was born, with its first eatery located in Beltsville, Maryland, a town known for agricultural research and innovations. As the CEO, Onyona led the expansion of this culinary venture, with additional locations in Washington DC and New Jersey.
“I took into account all the aspects that were missing in the restaurants – good service, good food, a cool ambiance, and African music. When we launched the restaurant, the reception was very good,” he noted.
Onyona’s entrepreneurial spirit is not just about serving food and beverages; it’s about creating an authentic African experience for diners. The restaurant offers unique African delicacies, such as Nyama choma, Ugali, and Kachumbari, a Kenyan favorite.
While Nyama choma and Ugali are enjoyed across many African countries, Onyona’s restaurants stand out due to their Kenyan preparation style. Swahili Village also features dishes like Ndengu (Greengrams), chapati, pilau, mbuzi choma, chicken curry, fish curry, tilapia curry, African tea, and Tusker, a popular Kenyan beer.
The restaurant caters to groups of five to seven people with offerings of grilled goat, beef, and chicken, accompanied by collard greens, spinach, cabbage, ugali, and chapati, all topped with kachumbari.
In a year, the Swahili Village restaurants serve an impressive 720,000 people, averaging 15,000 customers per week and 60,000 per month. Although Onyona no longer prepares all the cuisine personally, he insists on tasting and approving every dish before it reaches customers’ tables.
While Swahili Village employs individuals from over 10 different countries, Kenyan employees are prevalent due to the specialization in Kenyan cuisine. Onyona revealed plans to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Labor to facilitate the hiring of Kenyan workers with specialized skills.
“We are working with several universities in Kenya, signing different MoUs to allow their students to come do their internships here, to build their experience, train them, and absorb them when opportunities arise,” Onyona explained.
He encouraged young people to have the courage to pursue their aspirations, even if it requires leaving their jobs to chase their dreams. Onyona emphasized that recognizing problems, finding solutions, and implementing them, no matter how challenging, is crucial in the corporate world.
“Be disciplined, devote time to your venture, and be patient. Find your talent and explore it. Do not let anybody tell you that you are not good enough. Believe in yourself and create that product,” he urged.
Kevin Onyona’s remarkable journey from love to entrepreneurship exemplifies the power of passion, determination, and the willingness to address unmet needs. Through Swahili Village, he has not only introduced African cuisine to America but has also created a unique cultural experience for diners.
