- Kenyan-born chef Bernice Kariuki cooks for Lewis Hamilton is the latest internet search
- She cooked for him at Silverstone, in Northamptonshire, England on July 6 during the British Grand Prix
- Kariuki became the first Kenyan to cook for seven-time F1 world champion ahead of the 2025 British Grand Prix
Kenyan-born chef Bernice Kariuki cooks for Lewis Hamilton is the latest internet search putting Kenya in the limelight once again.
She cooked for him at Silverstone, in Northamptonshire, England on July 6 during the British Grand Prix. Silverstone is home to the British Grand Prix.
Kariuki became the first Kenyan to cook for seven-time F1 world champion ahead of the 2025 British Grand Prix.
Why Bernice Kariuki Cooks for Lewis Hamilton News is Special
Hamilton follows a strict vegan diet which only a few top chefs can prepare. Kariuki is among the lucky chefs to ever get an opportunity to prepare a full-course meal for the British F1 driver.
The fact that she got the chance just before the British Grand Prix set the internet ablaze with searches on Bernice Kariuki cooks for Lewis Hamilton.
The British Grand Prix holds deep meaning for Hamilton who was born and raised in Stevenage, England. Silverstone is his home track.
He is on record stating that the support from British fans gives him emotional strength and motivation. Hamilton has a record nine victories at the British Grand Prix, making him the most successful driver at a single Formula 1 venue.
In 2020, Silverstone honoured
him by naming its start/finish straight the “Hamilton Straight.” Beyond the stats, racing at home makes him emotional as — evidenced in 2024.
He tearfully celebrated a long-awaited win on team radio. According to his past admission, his vegan diet gives him a lot of energy to handle his racing career.
Curious fans wondered what was on the table as soon as reports of Bernice Kariuki cooks for Lewis Hamilton emerged.
She prepared a delicious plant-based curry for the British champion. Hamilton’s full-day meal includes fruits, avocado toasts, plant-based protein smoothies, vegetable salad and curry stew.
Speaking after the experience, she shared that it felt surreal to cook for someone she’s admired for years, calling it “a dream moment made real.”
Who is Bernice Kariuki?
Kariuki’s international culinary journey began in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. She was raised in Jericho and went through Kenya’s 8-4-4 system, starting at Jeshi la Wokovu Nursery.
Her academic path took her from Rabai Road Primary to the prestigious Precious Blood Girls’ School.
After a dispute over her school placement, she left and joined Magomano Girls Secondary in Nyandarua.
There, she regained focus and completed high school. At only 17, Kariuki moved to Sweden to seek new opportunities.
She enrolled in a culinary school but found Swedish cuisine uninspiring, turning instead to pastry.
Still searching for fulfilment, she relocated to the UK and briefly studied psychology to honour her father’s wishes.
She practised for seven years before rediscovering her passion for food. Kariuki then joined Westminster Kingsway College in London, a top culinary school.
After graduating, she worked in London’s top hotels — The Lanesborough, The Dorchester, and The Waldorf Hilton.
Her big break came in 2020 at a Christmas party when she met Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
She boldly asked the footballer if Arsenal needed a chef. He was impressed by her confidence and hired her. That was her start to Bernice Kariuki cooks for Lewis Hamilton.
Kariuki’s authentic Kenyan dishes, like her signature pilau, quickly became a hit with the team. She officially joined Arsenal’s first-team kitchen staff in mid-2021 under Mikel Arteta’s reign.
Based at London Colney, she cooked for players, coaches, and the technical bench, also managing their diets and nutrition.
Kariuki left Arsenal in mid-2023, but her culinary career only continues to rise.
