Kira Meenke, although not widely recognized by the public, has gained considerable renown among Premier League stars for her exceptional culinary skills.
Since 2021, Meenke has embarked on a path of catering to the dietary needs of professional athletes. A 29-year-old chef, she studied marketing at Hochschule Bremen and worked for a nutritional supplement company in Berlin, Germany, before transitioning to serving athletes.
Meenke has cooked for sports celebrities including Jeremiah St Juste of Sporting Lisbon, Odysseas Vlachodimos from Nottingham Forest, Michael Gregortisch and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh from SC Freiburg, as well as Petar Musa from FC Dallas.
According to Meenke, “Some footballers truly dislike healthy food, so my job is to transform unhealthy dishes into… the healthiest possible while maintaining that balance. I wouldn’t say my style is 5-star restaurant – I want to make them feel at home, I enjoy preparing dishes that enhance flavor. Pasta and truffle mushrooms are favorites among most players. I find joy in the process of cooking any dish. The only thing I dislike doing is pork.”
Meenke has traveled the world to cook for professional footballers, taking her to England, the United States, Portugal, and Germany. She enjoys preparing Middle Eastern recipes for her clients as she appreciates their distinctive flavors.