Aliya LeeKong

Aliya LeeKong is a multi-talented culinary professional with an impressive background spanning cooking, entrepreneurship, and media. Here are some key details about her career and accomplishments:

Culinary Career

Aliya LeeKong is an award-winning chef who trained at the International Culinary Center in New York City.12 She honed her skills by working in renowned restaurants like Jean Georges, Per Se, and Junoon in New York City.2 Her cooking style is described as a reinvention of American cuisine, influenced by her multicultural background as the U.S.-born daughter of Tanzanian and Indo-Pakistani immigrants.1

Entrepreneurship

LeeKong is the Founder & CEO of Issa's Edible Adventures™, a food-inspired preschool brand she developed in partnership with Encantos, an entertainment education company.2 The brand aims to bring food education to children through books, apps, an animated series, and other products.2

Media and Publishing

She has made appearances on several TV shows, including:

• NBC's Today Show (as a guest chef)
• Food Network shows like Kitchen Casino, Beat Bobby Flay, and Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition (as a judge)
• MSNBC's Morning Joe (as a culinary expert)2

LeeKong is also a cookbook author. Her first cookbook, "Exotic Table: Flavors, Inspiration, and Recipes from Around the World – to Your Kitchen," was named "Best of the Best" by Food & Wine magazine.2

Education and Early Career

Before pursuing her culinary passion, LeeKong had a background in business:

• She earned degrees from Brown University and Columbia University2
• Worked as an investment banker for five years after graduating from Brown1
• Obtained an MBA from Columbia University1

Current Role

As of 2019, LeeKong was serving as the Chief Culinary Officer for RealEats, a food tech platform focused on providing consumers with easy access to real food.2

Aliya LeeKong's diverse experiences and multicultural background have shaped her unique approach to food and cooking, making her a prominent voice in the culinary world on issues such as food waste, food education, and female empowerment in the hospitality industry.2