New Jersey, United States, Sep 18 – President William Ruto made a memorable visit to Swahili Village on September 17, 2023, an establishment overseen by Kenyan entrepreneur Kevin Onyona.
Kevin Onyona’s life took an unexpected turn. Born in Ugenya and raised in Homa Bay county, Kenya, his childhood dream was to become a Catholic priest.
However, destiny had different plans, leading him to the United States in September 1999, where he initially worked as a sales executive at Home Depot.
But his heart was in the kitchen, a passion kindled by the fond memories of his grandmother’s delicious meals prepared from humble ingredients back in Kenya.
“Kenyans are known for being hardworking, industrious and having a sharp eye for opportunities beyond our borders. Witnessing the success of thriving Kenyans abroad propels our resolve to intensify our foreign relations efforts aimed at broadening opportunities for many more.Visited Swahili Village in New Jersey, United States, an enterprise run by a Kenyan businessman Kevin Onyona.” President Ruto said
In 2009, Kevin embarked on a culinary adventure by opening Swahili Village in a modest space that resembled a trailer park in College Park. Dissatisfied with the African restaurants he encountered in the U.S., he decided to create his own.
The pivotal moment came in 2016 when the restaurant relocated to a more spacious venue in Beltsville, Maryland.
Here, Kevin meticulously crafted an ambiance that blended fine dining with an inviting atmosphere, adorned with artful representations of various African regions.
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Swahili Village soon gained widespread acclaim, becoming a must-visit destination for Kenyan travelers, including dignitaries like ambassadors and Cabinet Secretaries, among them Fred Matiang’i.
While proudly serving Kenyan cuisine, the restaurant’s menu transcended borders, offering a culinary journey through the diverse flavors of Africa. “Our food, believe it or not, touches almost all continents.
Anybody who comes to our restaurants will find something familiar, except we make it the Kenyan way,” Kevin explained after the grand opening of their Washington DC branch.
Surprisingly, the majority of Swahili Village’s patrons turned out to be from West Africa, with only a handful of Kenyan customers.
They were drawn not only by the delectable dishes but also by the restaurant’s opulent decor and furnishings, which came at a hefty price tag of over $1 million.
In a 2019 interview with journalist Alex Chamwada, Kevin expressed his ambitions to expand further, envisioning six more branches in locations including Downtown Washington DC, New York New Jersey, Atlanta Georgia, Dallas and Houston Texas, and Boston.
However, Kevin Onyona’s path to success wasn’t without its challenges. Convincing people, from customers to landlords, to embrace his innovative ideas and diverse cuisine proved to be an uphill battle.
In 2018, the restaurant faced a significant setback when a kitchen fire threatened to extinguish their culinary dreams.
In 2020, despite opening the highly anticipated Downtown Washington DC branch, a massive crowd had gathered, only to see it all come crashing down as the global pandemic forced them to close, leading to staff layoffs and a decline in business when they eventually reopened.
Kevin Onyona’s journey from a small trailer park kitchen to owning multi-million-dollar restaurants stands as a testament to the power of passion, determination, and a deep love for the culinary heritage of Kenya and Africa.
Swahili Village continues to be a beacon of African cuisine and culture in the heart of the United States, a testament to Kevin’s unwavering commitment to sharing the flavors of his homeland with the world.
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