Over the years, we have learned what it takes to make a healthy nutritious meal that is ideal for your outdoor adventures. But just like the adventure, the meal is only as good as the person who is cooking it. Remmy has been the Head Chef at Rift Valley Adventures for quite a few years and his love for cooking combined with his diligence in planning is what get that meal on to your plates on time no matter how far in the outback we are!
What’s your background in cooking at Adventure camps?
Being the Head chef of RVA’s Adventure camps is quite a responsibility and one which I take on having had many years of experience in different camps and restaurants.
What do you enjoy about what you do?
First and foremost I am a chef so I love cooking which put me on the road I am on. Teaching my new innovative menus to both my kitchen colleagues and school students is something I love doing. Cooking is a very creative thing to do and when you have a passion for something, you love to share it. It’s been great to create school and adventure programs which have also had a focus on nutrition and to help young people get the basics in preparing and cooking simple healthy meals.
Have you got a favourite adventure activity?
Being from the coast I have to say I am drawn to the water. I prefer swimming, although the mountain waters that run through the canyon are a lot colder than those of the Indian Ocean at home! I recently bought mountain bike and have been using that quite a bit and getting more and more into cycling.
What’s been your favourite moment working with RVA?
My favorite moments come on a daily basis working with RVA – interacting with my fellow work mates day to day always has great moments. I think being given the freedom of working out menus that fit with the groups has been one of my favorite elements with schools, army or any other groups for that matter.
Whats your favourite meal?
My favourite meal…I could answer that two ways as in do I prefer to eat it or make it? For eating and making though, it is the bbq as it has a wide variety of options to suit all and is the best possible time for me to use a wide variety of vegetables and get creative with the side dishes.
If you could choose any adventure to go on what would it be?
I would go for rock climbing and swimming, just great for physical exertion and the more you do the more you feel the benefit. It has also shown me how much there is to do in Kenya my own country. Kenya has always focused on the Safari breaks and beach holidays but Kenya through adventure travel is just beginning to open up and show how many more layers there are to the country. The big five will soon be a list of mountains, canyons, rivers, deserts and ocean.
Where have been some of the places in the field where you have cooked?
With RVA, there have been numerous places. I am not just based in the Camps. I have cooked and helped students cook in the Forests, high on Mt Kenya, in the bush on cycle expeditions and of course down at the coast.
What’s keeping you busy during this lockdown period?
Am spending quite a bit of time on our little farm and camp and online studies. Education has no end – neither does it have age barriers so I have been taking the time with more studies. Of course as we begin opening up then I have had to be ready and prepared for when things are up and running so some planning and preparing has been high on the list lately.
