Katie sits down with Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja, the powerhouse behind NYC hotspots Shuka and Shukette, to talk about her unlikely path from aspiring lawyer to celebrated chef. Born and raised in Brooklyn with food in her DNA (her dad was a French-trained ship chef and her mom a great home cook), Ayesha discovered her true passion in the kitchen—so much so that she literally talked her way into a job at Lidia Bastianich’s Felidia by offering to scrub the floors. From there, she rose to sous chef, led kitchens across the city, and eventually opened her own Middle Eastern restaurants that have become cult favorites. In this episode, Ayesha shares the secrets to making a delicious egg salad (add garlic!), silky hummus, and the must-have spices every home cook should stock. Plus, she dishes on competing in Bobby Flay’s Triple Threat and teases her upcoming cookbook.

Join Katie and Ayesha for a conversation full of kitchen wisdom that will make you hungry. Watch Bobby’s Triple Threat on Tuesdays at 8pm on Food Network and follow Ayesha @ayesha_rare.

Produced by Dear Media.

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