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Aliya LeeKong
Aliya LeeKong (born February 18, 1978) is an American chef, television personality and the author of the cookbook Exotic Table - Flavors, Inspiration, and Recipes from Around the World – to Your Kitchen (Adams Media; November 2013).

'''Biography

Early Life'''

The daughter of Indo-Pakistani and Tanzanian immigrants, Aliya LeeKong was born in New York and raised in central Florida.

After graduating from Brown University and Columbia Business School, LeeKong went on to work in corporate America in New York city, but found herself stealing as much time as possible to travel and cook.

Career

LeeKong quickly came to realize that cooking was what truly fed her soul and would be her life’s work. She first grounded herself in technique, training at the International Culinary Center, and then traversed the globe to become a student of home cooks in global kitchens. She has traveled to over 30 countries in the past 10 years alone, including Brazil, India, Thailand, Turkey and South Africa.

LeeKong honed her resume by staging and working on the line at such reputable restaurants as New York City’s Jean Georges, Devi, and Per Se. Since March 2011 she has served as Chef and Culinary Creative Director of the renowned Indian restaurant Junoon, also in Manhattan.

First and foremost an entertainer, LeeKong has always spent the better part of her free time in the kitchen, cooking for friends and testing recipes that are inspired by her personal travels and family’s heritage – both her own and her husband’s, whose family is from Trinidad.

LeeKong has appeared on Food Network’s Chef Marks the Spot, NBC Weekend Today, CBS New York as well as the shows Peggy’s Kitchen Cures, What Would Julieanna Do, and Nirmala’s Spice World on Veria Living. LeeKong also developed and hosted her own web series, Exotic Table.

This Fall 2013, LeeKong introduces her first cookbook, Exotic Table - Flavors, Inspiration, and Recipes from Around the World – to Your Kitchen (Adams Media; November 2013). With over 100 recipes, Exotic Table is an exciting expression of Aliya’s passion for bringing international spices, ingredients and traditions into American cooking and making them accessible to the home cook. Personal Life

LeeKong resides in New York City with her husband Aren, her daughter Asya and two dogs.

LeeKong serves on the Board of Directors of the Dance Theatre of Harlem and is also 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)

References

Wall Street Journal

Vogue India

Heritage Radio

Food Republic

Huffington Post

Metro Ny

Brown Alumni Magazine

External Links

http://www.aliyaleekong.com https://www.facebook.com/aliyaleekong https://twitter.com/aliyaleekong http://www.youtube.com/aliyaleekong http://instagram.com/aliyaleekong#