Aliya LeeKong

Coming Up

Training at Brown University, Columbia Business School, and International Culinary Center gave Aliya LeeKong a rare double base: academic rigor and kitchen practicality. That combination shows up in the way her work moves between analysis and execution, with the pressure-cooker pace of professional service matched by a measured approach to flavor and form. She then worked in the kitchens of Jean Georges in New York City, Devi in New York City, and Per Se in New York City, before taking on the role of chef and Culinary Creative Director at Junoon in New York City (2011–2014). Aliya LeeKong is now chef of Aliyaa in Kuala Lumpur, where the work continues to build on that same foundation. The move from New York City to Kuala Lumpur marks a wider field of reference, with travel and technique used in service of flavors that remain rooted in inherited tradition.

Where They Are Now

Whole crab is Aliya LeeKong’s signature dish, and it functions as a centerpiece through scale and presence rather than ornament. It is the kind of plate that sets the tone for a table immediately. Negombo prawns in pineapple gravy bring a different register, using sweetness, acid, and heat in balance. Kuliyal, curry rice and tomato paste baked in banana leaf, is the dish to order for a direct read on what distinguishes Sri Lankan food. Taken together, these dishes show a kitchen working with spice, memory, and clarity of placement. The distance from Tanzanian and Indo-Pakistani family history to New York City and Kuala Lumpur is part of the frame around her cooking, but the work itself stays grounded in practice. What comes through is a daily culinary language shaped by ingredients, movement, and discipline.

Signature

Aliya's signature dishes include whole crab, Negombo prawns in pineapple gravy, and Kuliyal.

In Their Words “Travel is truly how I learn the authentic traditions. I consider it a ‘culinary grad school’ and a necessary part of how I develop myself as a chef.” “Cooking combines the physical, mental and creative sides of my personality. It’s my haven and my joy.”

Honors

Brown University, Columbia University, Columbia Business School, and the International Culinary Center frame the formal side of Aliya LeeKong’s background, alongside her roles at Junoon in New York City and Aliyaa in Kuala Lumpur.