Chef Ayesha Kalaji Wiki, Age, Husband, Great British Menu
Ayesha Kalaji Biography – Ayesha Kalaji Wiki
Ayesha Kalaji is a British Jordanian Chef and Owner of Queen of Cups, a 17th-century coaching inn, turned modern Middle Eastern restaurant in Glastonbury. She appeared on BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals in 2023 and Great British Menu in 2025.
Ayesha went to university in London for a degree in Middle Eastern Studies and originally had ambitions to be a war correspondent. She switched her aspiration to being a chef whilst she was studying. After university she then went on to culinary school and never looked back.
Food has always been a big interest in her life, and growing up, her Jordanian grandmother was a huge influence on this, teaching her traditional dishes when she visited Jordan in the summers.
Ayesha trained at Leiths School of Food and Wine in London. She was awarded a merit in her Diploma of Food and Wine, whilst also working at the acclaimed Parson’s Nose butchers in West London. She then moved on to restaurants such as The Palomar and Bubula – both renowned Middle Eastern restaurants in London, as well as spending some time back in Wales working at Michelin Starred Sosban and The Old Butchers.
Ayesha now owns The Queen of Cups restaurant in Glastonbury. The Queen of Cups has been open since 2021, and Ayesha’s Middle Eastern inspired menu has won her awards and accolades such as the Michelin bib gourmand, Estrella’s top 50 gastropub list, and Middle Eastern Food of the Year category at the Be Inclusive Hospitality (BIH) Spotlight Awards 2022. She also won the Trencherman award for best newcomer, and has featured in Forbes Magazine and The Observer to name a few.
Ayesha Kalaji Age
Chef Ayesha Kalaji was born in November 1990. She is 35 years old as of 2025.
Ayesha Kalaji Family
Ayesha Kalaji grew up in North Wales with her British mother and Jordanian father. She lives in the centre of Glastonbury with her three cats.
Ayesha Kalaji Great British Menu
Chef Ayesha Kalaji is set to appear on the 20th series of Great British Menu. She will be representing Wales in the popular BBC cooking competition alongside Daniel Ap Geraint, Head Chef, The Gunroom Restaurant; Lewis Dwyer, Head Chef/Joint Patron, Hiraeth Kitchen; and Seb Smith, Head Chef, Allt Yr Afon.
“I’m thrilled to be representing Wales, as I grew up in Anglesey, and cannot wait for you all to see what I cook,” she said. “I am so grateful to have had this opportunity, thank you to all of my friends, family and customers for always supporting myself and my restaurant.”
Ayesha Kalaji MasterChef
Ayesha Kalaji was a contestant on the 16th series of the MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Other contestants included Simon Braz, Ayesha, Casrick, and Cecily Rae, among others.
How did you get into cooking and what do you love about it?
“I’ve always loved food – both eating and cooking. I was very lucky that there was always really interesting food at home with my family. During my degree, I realised I was taking a wrong direction – I didn’t see a career for myself in embassy work or anything related to what I’d been studying. Then in my final year I focused my independent study project on the anthropology and semiotics of Middle Eastern cuisine. I poured for hours over 13th century recipe books and I knew I loved everything about them. So it was a natural step for me to pursue this!
As well as devouring the books, I was glued to watching shows like MasterChef and Great British Menu. On my first day at cookery school I had a three hour lecture about eggs and I immediately knew I was in the right place. There was never any other path. I knew I wanted to be in kitchens and have my own restaurant. I love being around food – touching it, feeling it and trying it. It’s wonderful being in the kitchen.I love the rush of service and being around my incredible team, but the food always comes first for me.”
Influences
How would you describe your style of cooking and any influences on it?
“My style is modern Middle Eastern, but far from classic. It’s my own interpretation of my heritage and it’s how I connect to who I am. It’s fun, flavour filled, unexpected, and joyous. Some dishes may look traditional, but then you taste them and realise there are flavours you may have never had. My pantry is different to a lot of other chefs’. My style in unconventional and I refuse to be anything but unabashedly myself.”
MasterChef: The Professionals
Why did you want to take part in MasterChef: The Professionals?
“I’d always wanted to take part in the competition but was never sure I was ready. Now I have grown into my cooking and my career and it’s the right time for me to push forward. I wear leopard-print chef trousers and glittery Birkenstocks and my eyeliner is always exquisitely drawn – so I want to prove that you can be yourself and still be a chef! I’m kind and caring and I want to show that you can be a nice person in the kitchen and still be successful.”
Nationality
She is of British nationality.
Ethnicity
She is of mixed Jordanian and white British heritage.
Ayesha Kalaji’s Instagram handle is @chefayeshak.
