He feeds the country’s who is who. The clientele, believe me, is enviable. Have we mentioned State House? Well, San Valencia has been operating for slightly more than 20 years, with phenomenal growth in the last ten.
For a glimpse of what they do, just know that San Valencia fed the more than 40,000 local investors during KenGen’s first annual general meeting at Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani in 2006. The sure hands behind San Valencia is Phineas Kimathi. That name rings an instant bell, right? Of course you recall him if you’re a Safari Rally fan. The veteran rally driver is currently the Director of Kenya Motor Sports Federation and the Chairman of Ralley Sports. SILAS NYANCHWANI put him ‘On the Carpet’ for the motivation behind giving the best employees cars.
First things first, why the name San Valencia, it sounds exotic?
I chose the name San Valencia because of the power of brand and how people perceive a given brand. I chose the name San which means Saint in Spanish and Valencia is a very hospitable and leisurely city in Belgium. If I picked the name of my village, it would not have worked.
Your background is in rallying, how did you end up in catering?
Actually, what most people do not know is that I am an hotelier by profession. I studied in Utalii College before I went to London, United Kingdom for further studies (at Greenwitch College). So, my background is not in rallying. Rallying is just a passion.
So how did you venture into catering?
In the early 1990s, I was a consultant for tourists’ companies helping them on how to feed and accommodate tourists. But after the inflation occasioned by the YK92 (Youth For Kanu ‘92 as it was an election year), most of my clients could sustain themselves through the money they had borrowed from the banks. I went into personal business, setting up Silver Spoon. This later rebranded to San Valencia ten years ago.
And you have since expanded to other brands?
There is the Valencia Inn in Mombasa, a three-storey establishment, 16-roomed with three bars. We also have Dann’s Club, which has been voted the best entertainment joint in Mombasa. We also have the San Valencia at Anniversary Towers. It is now called the San Valencia Square having expanded to the Mezzanine floor, where we have conference facilities as well the hotel and restaurant on the ground floor. We just opened a restaurant inside the Nairobi National Museum. Additionally we do the outsourced outside catering and consultancy for our corporate clients.
Tell us how you pulled off the herculean and Jesus like miracle of feeding the thousands during the KenGen AGM?
First it was a logistical nightmare, it was held in Kasarani. There were 20,000 people in the first round and 12,000 and 10,000 in the respective rounds. We managed because we had sophisticated equipment and well-trained staff at hand. We have a full-time staff of about 350 people and seasonally we do recruit, especially during the peak seasons.
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