Food has a way of remembering things for us.
It remembers weddings where pilau was cooked in impossibly large sufurias. It remembers roadside stops where nyama choma tasted better because you were starving and laughing. It remembers the sound of tea being poured from high up, the smell of spices hitting hot oil, and that one auntie who never gives you the recipe but somehow expects you to learn by watching.
Common in western Kenya, fried or stewed. Tilapia’s journey to the table begins with the lake. Fishing communities around Lake Victoria rise early, setting out in wooden boats to cast nets or lines. The catch is brought ashore and sold fresh in bustling markets, where the air is filled...
This blog is a journey through Kenyan and East African food — not just what we eat, but why we eat it, how we cook it, and what belongs next to it on the table. It’s about stories passed down, meals shared, and flavors that travel — from the coast to the highlands, from home kitchens to street corners, from memory to plate.
Here, you’ll find:
Recipes that are practical, flexible, and rooted in real kitchens
Stories — personal, cultural, sometimes funny, sometimes nostalgic
Food pairings: what goes with what, and why
Drinks — from chai to juices to something stronger when the occasion calls
And the little details people don’t always write down, but always remember
We’re not here to make food precious or intimidating. Kenyan food isn’t about perfection — it’s about feeling. It’s about knowing when the onions are ready by smell, not by timer. It’s about adjusting spice “until your ancestors nod in approval.” It’s about eating with your hands when that’s the right thing to do, and sharing even when the pot looks small.
The name Spice Route Kenya isn’t accidental. East African food has always been on a journey — influenced by travel, trade, migration, and homegrown creativity. Spices didn’t just pass through; they stayed, adapted, and became ours. Just like recipes. Just like people.
Some posts here will walk you step-by-step through how to prepare a dish. Others will tell you why a certain meal only makes sense on certain days, or why one side dish completes another. Sometimes we’ll talk about food you grew up with. Sometimes about food you’re discovering for the first time.
This isn’t a “one correct way” kind of space. It’s a this is how we do it, and you’re welcome to the table kind of space.
So whether you’re Kenyan, East African, part of the diaspora, or just curious and hungry — pull up a chair. Stay a while. Ask questions. Try things. Make substitutions. Burn something and laugh about it.
Food is a journey.
This is ours.
Welcome to Spice Route Kenya ✨
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Savor the diverse flavors of Kenya through food tours that showcase traditional and modern cuisine.
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