Fariyal Abdullahi

Coming Up

Formal training at California State University, Long Beach and the Culinary Institute of America set the technical base for Fariyal Abdullahi’s work before she moved into fine-dining kitchens. That path is less about a single breakout moment than about the accumulation of habits that matter in service: precision, timing, endurance, and the ability to stay clear under pressure. Work at Noma in Denmark, then as Head Chef at Hav & Mar in New York City until 2023, placed Abdullahi in kitchens with different tempos and demands. Copenhagen cooking requires a strict relationship to detail; New York asks for pace, control, and stamina. Moving between those settings gave her a practical range, and it is that range that now supports her leadership. Since 2023, Fariyal has held the role of Executive Chef of Hav & Mar. The title means stewardship as much as status: the responsibility to shape standards, keep the line moving, and define the kitchen’s daily rhythm.

Where They Are Now

At Hav & Mar, Abdullahi works with a style that pairs discipline with a deliberate sense of lift in the room. Twice-Cured Salmon, one of her signature dishes, points to a method built on patience and control. Her own words — “I always like to lead with joy” — frame that approach plainly: exacting work, delivered without hard edges.

Signature

Twice-Cured Salmon and coffee-braised short ribs show two sides of Abdullahi’s kitchen language. One leans into restraint and fine control; the other brings weight and depth. Read together, they suggest a chef working with contrast rather than spectacle, building flavor through structure and finish.

In Their Words “I like to operate as a chef because that's how I grew up eating food.” The line places cooking in the register of memory and habit. For Abdullahi, the work is not separated from home life; it grows out of it. “I always like to lead with joy.” That is a management principle as much as a personal one. It names the atmosphere she aims to create around the work, and the tone she brings to the pass.

Honors

James Beard Foundation Award for Emerging Chef marks Abdullahi as a chef whose work has drawn attention beyond her own dining room. The recognition sits on top of the same qualities that define the rest of her profile: control, consistency, and a clear point of view.