Middle Eastern Cooking Reinvented: Queen Of Cups' Ayesha Kalaji on Celebrating Jordanian Cuisine cover art

Middle Eastern Cooking Reinvented: Queen Of Cups' Ayesha Kalaji on Celebrating Jordanian Cuisine

Middle Eastern Cooking Reinvented: Queen Of Cups' Ayesha Kalaji on Celebrating Jordanian Cuisine

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 In this episode, Theo is joined by the remarkable Ayesha Kalaji, the talented chef behind Queen of Cups in Glastonbury, a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner celebrated for her bold flavours and modern Middle Eastern cooking. From studying Middle Eastern politics and languages to discovering her true calling at Leiths School of Food and Wine, Ayesha’s unconventional journey has taken her from the open kitchens of The Palomar to launching her own restaurant the day after indoor dining reopened from COVID - and she's never looked back. Ayesha prepares her beloved Makmoura, a lesser-known celebratory dish from the Irbid region in northern Jordan that traditionally marks the olive harvest. Transforming this generous regional pie into an elegant restaurant-style construction, Ayesha uses spiced chicken thighs with a warming blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom, crispy golden puff pastry, a vibrant herb salad with pomegranate molasses and sumac, and rich Somerset yoghurt. This dish beautifully encapsulates Ayesha’s cooking philosophy - modern Middle Eastern cuisine using classic French techniques whilst celebrating incredible local British produce. Throughout the episode, Ayesha shares her remarkable journey from working at The Palomar, Sosban and The Old Butchers under Michelin-starred chef Stephen Stevens, The Good Egg, and Bubala, to opening her own restaurant in Somerset during one of the most challenging times in hospitality. She discusses the importance of cooking with confidence and generosity, her passion for Jordanian wine, the influence of her Syrian grandmother's abundant table, and why she believes herbs are texture and flavour - not just garnish. You can find Ayesha’s full Makmoura recipe on the Filippo Berio website at www.filippoberio.co.uk/theo, and be sure to visit Queen of Cups in Glastonbury to experience her incredible modern Middle Eastern cooking for yourself. The Recipe podcast is hosted by Theo Randall, Chef Patron at the Theo Randall Cucina Italiana. In each episode we meet a special guest who loves food, and they'll tell us all about their favourite recipe as we celebrate the stories behind the dishes that define us. Please do subscribe, follow, and share the podcast wherever you listen so you never miss an episode; and for more delicious stories and inspiring dishes. Follow The Recipe with Theo Randall: /therecipe.podcast Follow Filippo Berio: /filippoberio_uk Follow Theo Randall: /theo.randall The Recipe with Theo Randall is a Listen To This Production for Filippo Berio.
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