Chef News is sponsored by the the Kitchen Porters Club
Chef Patron of Queen of Cups in Glastonbury, half Jordanian, half Welsh Ayesha Kalaji will be heading into the prolific Great British Menu kitchen today, with her first episode airing later this evening on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Representing her homeland of Wales, this will be Ayesha’s second major TV appearance, following her stint on MasterChef: The Professionals in 2023. This year’s theme is historical figures from the past, with Ayesha’s week celebrating those from the green, green grass of Wales, with the winning dishes due to be served at a magnificent historical banquet at Blenheim Palace.
“Gosh, isn’t this exciting! I can’t wait for the nation to see my menu and my style of food. It has been a true honour to look into some of the most incredible figures from where I come from. Everyone I have chosen to focus on means something personal to me, and adding food into the mix was a dream!” Said Chef Ayesha Kalaji.
Ayesha Kalaji is the Executive Chef and Owner of Queen of Cups in Glastonbury, a contemporary Middle Eastern restaurant housed in a historic 17th-century coaching inn. With deep roots in both North Wales and Jordan, Ayesha merges her heritage with locally sourced ingredients to craft a distinctive and innovative approach to Middle Eastern cuisine. After training at Leith’s and refining her skills as a butcher at Parsons Nose, she gained experience in renowned kitchens such as The Palomar, Sosban, The Good Egg, and Bubala before launching Queen of Cups in 2021.
Ayesha has garnered widespread recognition, including maintaining a Michelin Bib Gourmand for three consecutive years—the first and only in the area. She received the Spotlight Award for Middle Eastern Food at the Be Inclusive Awards, was shortlisted for Be Inclusive Chef of the Year 2024, and is a nominee for Best Chef at this year’s Trencherman Awards, after winning the Best Newcomer accolade. Ayesha was also named one of Code’s Top 100 Most Influential Women of the Year.
Chef News is sponsored by the the Kitchen Porters Club
