Aliya LeeKong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aliya Leekong
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| Born | February 18, 1978 |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Columbia University |
| Occupation | Celebrity chef |
| Known for | Television Personality |
Aliya LeeKong is an American chef, TV star, and author. She wrote a cookbook called Exotic Table, which shares recipes and flavors from all over the world.
Contents
Growing Up and Education
Aliya LeeKong was born in New York City and grew up in Central Florida. Her parents came to America from Indo-Pakistan and Tanzania. This means Aliya was the first in her family born in the U.S.
She went to Brown University and then Columbia Business School. After finishing her studies, Aliya worked in New York City. Later, she discovered her passion for cooking.
Aliya's Cooking Journey
Aliya LeeKong trained to be a chef at the International Culinary Center. She loves learning about food from different places. Over the past 10 years, she has traveled to more than 30 countries. In these countries, she learned from local home cooks.
Some of the countries she visited include:
Working in Famous Restaurants
Aliya first worked in some very well-known restaurants in New York City. These included Jean Georges, Devi, and Per Se. From 2011 to 2014, she was the main chef and creative director at Junoon. Junoon is a famous Indian restaurant.
Becoming a TV Star
Aliya LeeKong is also a popular TV personality. She has appeared on many cooking shows. You might have seen her on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay. She has also been on Chef Marks the Spot and NBC Weekend Today.
Other shows she appeared on include:
- CBS New York
- Men's Health: Guy Gourmet
- New England Cable News
- Peggy's Kitchen Cures
- What Would Julieanna Do
- Nirmala's Spice World on Veria Living
She was also featured on Kitchen Casino.
Learning About Food with Issa's Edible Adventures
Aliya LeeKong created something special for kids. It's an app called Issa’s Edible Adventures. This app helps children learn about food and cultures from around the world. Users can travel digitally to different countries. They learn about local foods and traditions.
Aliya got the idea for the app from playing games with her own daughter. She wanted to teach her daughter about different cultures.
Aliya's Life Today
Aliya LeeKong lives in New York City. She lives with her husband, her two daughters, and their two dogs. She also helps out with two organizations. These are Sponsors for Educational Opportunity and The Family Center.
