Aliya LeeKong is an American chef, television personality and author of the cookbook ''Exotic Table - Flavors, Inspiration, and Recipes from Around the World – to Your Kitchen''.

Early life

Aliya LeeKong was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and raised in

Central Florida Central Florida is a Regions of the United States#Florida, region of the U.S. state of Florida. Different sources give different definitions for the region, but as its name implies it is usually said to comprise the central part of the state, in ...

. A first generation American, her parents are Indo-Pakistani and Tanzanian immigrants. After graduating from

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

and

Columbia Business School Columbia Business School (CBS) is the business school of Columbia University, a Private university, private research university in New York City. Established in 1916, Columbia Business School is one of six Ivy League business schools and one of ...

, LeeKong went on to work in New York City, before finding her way to cooking.

Career

LeeKong trained at the

International Culinary Center The International Culinary Center (originally known as the French Culinary Institute) was a private for-profit culinary school from 1984 to 2020 headquartered in New York City, New York. The facilities included professional kitchens for hands-on ...

and has traveled to over 30 countries in the past 10 years to study under international home cooks. Countries include

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, and

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

. LeeKong initially worked at New York City's Jean Georges, Devi, and

Per Se Per se may refer to: * '' per se'', a Latin phrase meaning "by itself" or "in itself". * Illegal ''per se'', the legal usage in criminal and antitrust law * Negligence ''per se'', legal use in tort law *Per Se (restaurant) Per Se is a New Amer ...

. From March 2011 until January 2014, she served as Chef and Culinary Creative Director of the Indian restauran
Junoon
A television personality, LeeKong has appeared on

Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...

’s "
Beat Bobby Flay
'," ''Chef Marks the Spot'',
NBC Weekend Today

CBS New York WCBS-TV (channel 2), branded CBS New York, is a television station in New York City, serving as the flagship of the CBS network. It is owned and operated by the network's CBS News and Stations division alongside Riverhead, New York–licensed ...

''
''Men's Health: Guy Gourmet''

' ''Peggy's Kitchen Cures, What Would Julieanna Do, and Nirmala's Spice World on Veria Living''.Leekong was also featured i

To make cooking accessible and educational for children, LeeKong established an app called Issa’s Edible Adventures which allows users to digitally travel around the world to learn about food types and culture in different countries. LeeKong was inspired by games she played with her daughter to teach her about multiculturalism.

Personal life

LeeKong lives in New York City with her husband, her two daughters and two dogs. LeeKong is affiliated with Sponsors for Educational Opportunity and The Family Center.

Publications

*
Exotic Table - Flavors, Inspiration, and Recipes from Around the World – to Your Kitchen
' (Adams Media; November, 2013)

References

Sources

Reuters
(July 1, 2014)
Men's Health
(February, 2014)
Harper's Bazaar
(February, 2014)
Vogue India
(September, 2013)
Wall Street Journal
(June, 2013)
Organic Spa
(February, 2014)
Dan's Papers
(August, 2013)
Food Republic
(November, 2012)
Metro Ny
(April 2013)
Brown Alumni Magazine
(Fall, 2013)

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:LeeKong, Aliya American television chefs International Culinary Center alumni Columbia Business School alumni Brown University alumni 1978 births Living people American cookbook writers American women food writers American women chefs 21st-century American women writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers