Who is Ayesha Nurdjaja? Meet the newest titan on Bobby's Triple Threat

Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja is an Executive Chef at restaurants Shuka in Soho and Shukett in Chelsea. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja was always inspired by her father's cooking, as he was also a professional cook.

She spent her childhood in Italy and the Middle East. As a kid, she also used to visit several food markets around New York City with her grandmother. 
 

Ayesha’s childhood brought a bend towards cooking and pursuing a career in cooking in her life. While pursuing her degree in business at Pace University, she started pursuing her passion for cooking. After getting inspired by Chef Lidia Bastianich's show, Ayesha Nurdjaja joined the Institute of Culinary Education. While learning the art of cooking, she also brought a unique mix of different tastes and techniques of cooking in her dishes that made her stand out. 
 

After completing her education in culinary, Ayesha further joined Lidia's Restaurant. Her hard work, passion for cooking, and bringing the use of several exotic flavors helped Ayesha became a Sous Chef at Lidia's Restaurant.

She became famous for her vibrant and innovation-driven approach to Mediterranean cuisine.

Ayesha is well known for bringing the traditional and contemporary food blend together. She makes it a classic in her own style of cooking.

She is committed to fresh and locally sourced ingredients, which has specifically made her stand out in the culinary culture of New York City.

Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja’s professional life and achievements

In 2017, Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja joined Shuka as an executive chef and partnered with the Bowery group, which founded Shuka in Soho. Shuka is Vicky Freeman and Mark Meyer's Eastern Mediterranean restaurant.

They created a menu that would offer more rustic and vibrant flavors in the food that are loved by the Italian, Moroccan, and Tuscan people. 
 

Chef Ayesha specifically designed dishes that highlight local and seasonal ingredients in the restaurants. She also offers her specialty in Southern Italian cuisine.

Dishes like whipped Feta with pistachio, Kefti, Egg Tagine with spiced lamb meatballs, tomato, poached egg, Fattoush Salad with halloumi, toasted pita chips, and much more.

As an Executive Chef, Ayesha also helps in leading the kitchen team and planning the cuisine.

Awards and Nominations and TV appearances: Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja

For her influential work in the hospitality industry and culinary arts, Chef Ayesha has been awarded several honours and awards in New York City.

She is a James Beard Award 2023 finalist for the category of “Best Chef: New York State”. Her restaurant, Shuka, was ranked in the New York Times' top 100 restaurants in New York City in 2023 and the New York Times' top 100 restaurants in New York City in 2024. 
 

Recently, she went on to become a winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Trailblazer Award 2025. Ayesha Nurdjaja has appeared in several TV shows, like Starting from the Scratch: Mezze Feast season 2 episode 4, Late Night with Seth Meyer on October 17, 2023.

She also appeared as a contestant in a popular cooking show, Holiday Recipe Rumble.

Social Work: Chef Aisha Nurdjaja

Ayesha is a board member at the Salvia Centre. This is a non-profit organisation that works in providing nutrition education for children and families in New York City. She also works as a Chef collaborator.

Providing food education funds to high school students of underserved New York City communities. They provide information about hospitality and culinary careers to make the community aware of education in the food industry.

Ayesha Nurdjaja is also one of the members of the US Department of Food Street culinary corps.

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