Meet Hope Chebet Chemtai: The Woman Behind Kenyan Foodie
Sometimes the most meaningful journeys begin where our plans end.
For Hope Chebet Chemtai, known to thousands online as Kenyan Foodie, success didn’t come from following the path she carefully mapped out as a young student. Instead, it emerged when she found the courage to step away from expectations and pursue what genuinely excited her.
Today, Hope is a successful content creator, social media marketer, and lifestyle influencer who works with restaurants, resorts, and brands across Kenya. But her journey started in a very different place: pharmacy school.
In this exclusive interview with Revela Cosmetics, Hope shares her story of self-discovery, confidence, skincare, wellness, and what it truly means to embrace your authentic self.
Choosing Purpose Over Prestige
Growing up, Hope was always a high achiever.
After excelling in her KCPE exams, she earned admission to The Kenya High School, one of Kenya’s most prestigious institutions. She graduated with an impressive A-minus, scoring 80 points.
“I remember crying when my results came out because I had expected an even higher score,” she recalls. “My dad joked that he didn’t know whether to congratulate me or comfort me.”
Like many ambitious students, Hope envisioned a future in healthcare. Her dream was to work in a medical field, which led her to pursue a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. She initially enrolled at JKUAT before later transferring to USIU, where she completed her studies.
Yet during her university years, something didn’t feel right.
“I slowly realized that pharmacy wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. I was making everyone else proud, but I wasn’t feeling fulfilled.”
As classes moved online after the COVID-19 pandemic, Hope found herself with more free time. She spent it exploring Nairobi’s restaurant scene, a hobby she had loved since childhood.
“My dad used to take us out every Sunday when I was growing up in Eldoret. We’d try different restaurants, and I loved the experience.”
Inspired by food-focused Instagram accounts, she decided to create one of her own.
That account would become Kenyan Foodie.
Turning a Passion Into a Career
What started as a hobby quickly gained traction.
Hope began posting restaurant reviews, sharing food experiences, and showcasing hidden gems around Nairobi. Before long, restaurants were inviting her to dine for free in exchange for exposure.
Soon after, business owners began asking an unexpected question:
“What are your rates?”
That moment changed everything.
“As I was graduating from pharmacy school, I knew deep down I didn’t want to practice. That’s when I decided to take content creation seriously.”
Today, Hope works as both a content creator and social media marketer, helping restaurants, resorts, and real estate companies build their online presence while growing her own personal brand.
Facing Fear, Doubt, and Financial Uncertainty
Following a dream often sounds exciting in hindsight. Living through it is much harder.
For Hope, one of the biggest challenges wasn’t financial—it was emotional.
She had to tell her parents, particularly her father, that she wasn’t planning to pursue the career they had invested so much in.
“My dad is an academician with a PhD. He had imagined I’d follow a similar path. Explaining that I wanted to make a career out of social media wasn’t easy.”
The decision came with criticism from friends, family members, and strangers alike.
“Many people told me I was making a mistake. They said social media wasn’t a real career and that I should keep it as a hobby while practicing pharmacy.”
The doubts were difficult to ignore.
“I was scared. I genuinely didn’t know if it would work out. But I also knew I owed it to myself to try.”
Financial stability was another challenge. During the early stages of her content creation journey, income was inconsistent.
To support herself, Hope took on a social media management role for a bakery. That opportunity became the foundation of a second career path.
“It was actually through that bakery job that I discovered social media marketing for businesses.”
As her audience grew, so did her opportunities. New clients came onboard, larger brands reached out for campaigns, and her business steadily expanded.
Becoming Well-Rounded Through Self-Discovery
For Hope, true transformation happened after the age of 24.
Rather than becoming “all-rounded,” she describes herself as becoming well-rounded.
She began investing intentionally in every area of her life:
- Fitness
- Nutrition
- Skincare
- Mental wellness
- Relationships
- Personal growth
She also met her fiancé and began building a healthy, supportive relationship.
Now at 29, Hope believes self-care starts with self-love.
“Loving myself means going to the gym three to four times a week. It means taking daily walks, doing my skincare consistently, taking my supplements, and prioritizing rest when I need it.”
It also means setting boundaries.
“Sometimes self-love means saying no to opportunities. Sometimes it means having difficult conversations. It means listening to yourself and putting your well-being first.”
Hope’s Advice for Young Women Chasing Their Dreams
If Hope could offer one piece of advice to young women, it would be simple:
Find out what makes you you.
“That’s your secret.”
She encourages women to identify what genuinely excites them and pursue it with determination.
“Discover what gives you joy and what lights you up. Then pursue it wholeheartedly.”
Hope is particularly inspired by the “Highest Excitement Formula” taught by spiritual teacher Bashar:
In every moment, do the thing that excites you most. Do it to the best of your ability, take it as far as you can, and release attachment to the outcome.
For Hope, this mindset has become a guiding principle in both business and life.
“It’s working for me because it keeps me aligned with who I truly am.”
Her message for women struggling with confidence is equally powerful:
“Find what makes you different and embrace it. Nobody will ever look exactly like you, think exactly like you, or be exactly like you. That’s your power.”
Hope’s Go-To Skincare Routine
As someone who has worked hard to improve her own skin, Hope believes that consistency is far more important than complexity.
Her number one skincare rule?
Always Moisturize
“I think people underestimate how important a healthy skin barrier is.”
As someone with oily, sensitive skin, she prioritizes hydration and barrier support above everything else.
“A strong skin barrier helps your skin tolerate active ingredients and prevents unnecessary irritation.”
According to Hope, every effective skincare routine should begin with three essentials:
The Core Three-Step Routine
- Cleanser
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
“In that order.”
Only after establishing those fundamentals does she recommend adding targeted treatments such as:
- Retinol
- Niacinamide
- Brightening serums
- Pigmentation treatments
Among the products she personally loves are skin-tone-evening treatments and body care products that support healthy, radiant skin.
Her philosophy is simple:
“Focus on consistency and skin health first. Everything else comes later.”
What’s Next for Kenyan Foodie?
While food content remains at the heart of her brand, Hope’s vision is much bigger.
She wants Kenyan Foodie to evolve into a complete lifestyle platform that reflects all aspects of who she is.
“I don’t want it to be just about food and restaurants anymore.”
Her future content plans include:
- Travel
- Lifestyle
- Wellness
- Fitness
- Skincare
- Personal growth
Looking even further ahead, she dreams of launching a creator-focused advertising agency, opening a cocktail bar or restaurant, or perhaps both.
“The sky’s the limit.”
But above all, there’s one project she’s most excited about:
“Myself.”
Final Thoughts
Hope Chebet Chemtai’s story is a reminder that success isn’t always found by following the path others choose for us.
Sometimes it comes from listening to ourselves, embracing uncertainty, and having the courage to pursue what truly excites us.
From pharmacy graduate to content creator, entrepreneur, and lifestyle influencer, Hope has built a career rooted in authenticity, self-discovery, and confidence.
And perhaps that’s her greatest lesson of all:
When you embrace who you are, everything else begins to fall into place.
