Kenyans like Samuel Kimani are examples of people who have overcome hardships, moved overseas and established prosperous businesses.
Kimani had previously worked as a nurse in Kenya before moving to the US where he continued his nursing career for a while.
However, a few months later, he made the decision to quit his job and follow his entrepreneurial dream by opening his own restaurant.
Here is Kimani’s story as told by WoK.
Kimani pursued a career in nursing in Kenya shortly before he got a chance to move to the United States where he also practiced nursing.
However, a few months later, he decided to quit his nursing job, and ventured into entrepreneurship by opening a restaurant in Alabama.
With nyama choma being the restaurant’s signature meal, they also sell other Kenyan cuisines including ugali, bhajia, matumbo and goat meat.
Kimani also included Carribbean cuisines to the restaurant’s menu in a bid to enhance culinary experience for his customers.
Kimani claimed that he was encouraged to start his own business after being sure that the restaurant would prosper because no other restaurant in Alabama served Kenyan cuisine.
He stated that one of the key reasons his restaurant has grown is its location, which is adjacent to the market and includes a parking lot, allowing it to draw a large number of people.
The Jambo Grill restaurant features a bar-like atmosphere with multiple booths positioned next to the wall, multiple tables in the center, and countertop seating.
The restaurant mostly serves Kenyans who reside in the US, although drawing frequent overseas customers.
Kimani mentioned that he is happy with his path so far and has no regrets about leaving his nursing position to launch the company.
“Despite the challenges ahead, I decided to open it and it has become a success. I used to work in hospitals but I am also a businessman,” he said.
Kimani claimed that his staff are from all over the world, including Mexico, Nigeria and India.
He also works with a few Kenyans including the main chef.
Kimani claimed that it was not easy hiring Kenyans as the US laws do not allow business establishments to hire workers without proper documentation.
