Anthony Bishop is a Kenyan entrepreneur who has been running Jikoni restaurant in Qatar since 2016.
The Jikoni restaurant specializes in delicacies from Kenya and other East African countries, and has become a popular spot for Kenyans residing in Qatar, particularly during the 2022 World Cup.
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With his business acumen, Bishop has established a thriving enterprise that not only offers a sense of home to his clients but also creates job opportunities for Kenyans living in Qatar.
Bishop’s journey towards entrepreneurship commenced when he relocated to Qatar, hoping to find better prospects.
Since he had graduated with a Bachelor degree in Information and Technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT, he was unable to secure a job in his field.
After obtaining employment in Qatar, his contract ended, leaving him with no work and limited options. Despite facing adversity, Bishop refused to give up and instead decided to pursue a different path.
“I wanted to give up at one time, I told my mum I was coming back to Kenya but she assured me things will get better,” the chef stated in a past interview with Citizen TV.
At this point, Bishop could have given up, but he decided to try something different. He teamed up with a friend from Pakistan who owned a restaurant in Qatar and proposed selling Kenyan food on Fridays.
“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 recounted.
By tapping into the demand for Kenyan food in Qatar, Bishop was able to create a successful business that not only satisfies his clients’ taste buds but also provides a sense of belonging and home away from home.
The majority of items on his menu are Kenyan dishes, including githeri which he offers for Sh. 670, mukimo, mutura, njahi (black beans), chapati, sukuma wiki, matumbo, and many others.
At his restaurant, customers are charged Sh. 1,000 for a serving of mukimo, and those who wish to taste mutura, njahi, chapati, sukuma wiki, or matumbo need to pay Sh. 340, Sh. 670, Sh. 650, Sh. 500, and Sh. 500 respectively.
Bishop also offers half and full slices of avocado for Sh. 330 (10 QAR) and Sh. 670 (20 QAR), respectively.
To ensure authenticity, the entrepreneur revealed that almost 90 percent of his ingredients are sourced from Kenya.
“In the next five years, I want to franchise my business, to have different branches spread across,” the chef declared.
