Loice Omutelema is an administrator working with a private architectural firm dealing in house planning and construction supervision among others.
Interestingly, however, she runs a successful food business dubbed, I Cook U Eat, offering catering services.
But what’s the story behind her lucrative side hustle and how did he get into it? Here’s what WoK has gathered about the same.
Background
Loice is the first born in a family of four, she has two sisters and a brother.
Born and bred in Lucky Summer Estate, she attended two other schools and finally GSU Primary School where she sat for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).
She excelled in her KCPE and proceeded to Ngara Girls’ High School where she sat for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary School Education (KCSE).
“In Ngara Girls’ I was a school captain and also a bell ringer. Leadership followed me all along from Form One to Form Four. In Form Three and Form Four I was the dining hall captain,” Loice said.
Loice scored a B and enrolled at Kenyatta University (KU) where she pursued a degree in community resource management and extension.
She graduated from the university and landed a job at her current workplace through a referral from a friend.
I Cook U Eat
Besides being an administrator at the architectural company, Loice is also a chef running a catering company called I Cook U Eat.
In an interview with KTN, she explained that the idea behind the company came along by virtue of her husband.
“I was interested in cooking and getting a man who loves cooking made me more interested in to seeing where this journey of cooking together would be for us as lovebirds
“For me, this venture is like expanding and trying to elaborate more into this journey of cooking together as a couple and see how many people we’ll inspire out there,” she explained.
Loice also admitted that she faces challenges while trying to balance her main job and the catering business.
However, she attributes her success in the trade to her husband whom she said is supportive and encouraging.
“He is one of the men who would never let you down at any point. Most of the time when I’m very tired, he would support me and encourage me to keep going,” she stated.
According to Loice, challenges that she has faced in her business include late payments by clients, however, noting that they came up with a solution for the same:
“After experiencing several recurrent challenges, we came up with an agreement that compels the client to make a certain percentage of the pay before we start working
“This is just to avoid the last minute disappointment that after you’ve finished working the client does not own up to pay what they are supposed to pay,” she said.
She also mentioned the assumption that everyone is fond of spices as some challenges that she experienced in the initial stages.
The company is mainly ran by Loice and her husband, Victor Khamadi Murila, but they hire casual laborers depending on the workload.
Khamadi and Loice got married in April 2022 after dating for over two years.
Interestingly, the cooking couple met of Facebook group, Let’s Cook Kenyan Meals, and got into a relationship.
It was later when they established their catering business.
“It was a beautiful occasion. Thank you my let’s cook in-laws for giving me a wife and for sending a very strong and able delegation led by our mother in love Pamellah Oduor
“Saturday, April 30, marked exactly two years since I met Lois Omutelema here, and it’s been nothing but a beautiful journey to today,” Khamadi wrote after their wedding.
