I’m a private chef to Premier League footballers – my secret snack powers them through every away game

A CHEF who cooks for Premier League footballers says their favourite meals are BBQ steak and prawns.

Kira Meenke, 29, has been cooking meals for high-profile footballers since 2021.

Kira Meenke has rustled up dishes for sports stars including Sporting Lisbons’ Jeremiah St Juste and Morten HjulmandCREDIT: SWNS

This private chef tries to make unhealthy dishes as healthy as possible for the playersCREDIT: SWNS

Premier League footballers said their favourite meals are BBQ steak and prawnsCREDIT: SWNS

She studied a marketing degree at Hochschule Bremen which lead to work with a supplement company in Berlin, Germany, before starting to work with athletes.

She has rustled up dishes for sports stars including Sporting Lisbon’s Jeremiah St Juste, Odysseas Vlachodimos from Nottingham Forrest, Micahel Gregortisch and Daniel-Kofi Kyereh from SC Freiburg, as well as Petar Musa from FC Dallas.

Kira, a nutritionist, from Kiel, Germany, said: “Some football players really don’t like healthy food, so my job is to make the unhealthy dishes as healthy as possible while finding that balance.

“I wouldn’t say my style is fine dining – I want to make them feel like they are home, I like to make foods that will enhance the flavours.

“Filet and truffle pasta is an all-time favourite of most of them.

“I’m finding joy in the process of making any kind of meal. The only thing I don’t like to work with is pork.”

Kira has flown around the world to cook for professional footballers and her job has taken her to the UK, America, Portugal and Germany.

She likes to prepare Middle Eastern recipes for her clients because she loves the flavours in those sorts of dishes.

Kira said: “I really like to prepare Middle Eastern food because it is really nice to prepare as it is very green and I like the spices.

“My dream is to create my own recipe book with all my favourites in there and it would be great for my audience as well.”

“Middle eastern food amazed me with its rich flavours, fresh ingredients and the communal dining experience.”

Some of Kira top meals to create are Indian curries and homemade samosas, watermelon, mint and feta salad also a BBQ steak and prawns.

Kira didn’t train as a chef and has self-taught all her recipes.

She said: “I’m not a trained chef, all my work is self-taught but I have worked with a lot of chefs that I admire.

“The cooking part is a mix of putting my nutritional skills into practice and also the challenge of making unhealthy food, healthy.

“I have a granola bar that I give to all the footballers before every away game and they love it.”

Kira has been in the football industry for three years now and has been approached by quite a few teams to work for them but she enjoys the freedom of being freelance.

Kira said: “I really enjoy the freedom of what I am currently doing now.

“Any coach, manager, player or even anyone can let me cook for them.

“Although I can be assigned to a team, I mainly work with individuals talking about their diet, what foods to eat and their meal plans for the week.”

Kira isn’t afraid to serve watermelon alongside a curry as she throws in nutritional foods every chance she getsCREDIT: SWNS

Kira is a self-made chef who taught herself everything she knows and now she shares it with star footballersCREDIT: SWNS