26-year-old Jordanian chef makes waves in Miami’s culinary scene

AMMAN — Aspiring young Jordanian chef, Ahmad Aleikish, is forging his way in the US culinary scene by working in world-renowned restaurants. 

In an interview with The Jordan Times, the 26-year-old noted that he developed a passion for cooking at a very young age. 

Encouraged by his family, Aleikish worked on honing his skills in the kitchen over the years, later earning a diploma in culinary arts from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RACA) in Jordan. 

After gaining experience at some of the Kingdom’s most elite culinary establishments, Aleikish moved to the US a little over two years ago. The young chef soon found work at The Bazaar, a Miami-based restaurant owned by award-winning and Michelin-starred chef, Jose Andrés.  

Aleikish is currently a candidate for the O-1 non-immigrant US visa for individuals who possess extraordinarily abilities or achievements in their field. 

He is preparing to take on his next adventure as a Chef de Partie at Filia Restaurant Miami at the SLS Brickell, a luxury hotel.

 The young chef will be responsible for managing a specific section of the kitchen and ensuring that dishes are prepared according to the restaurant’s standards. His role also involves supervising all cooks and apprentices as well as helping them develop their culinary skills. 

Aleikish explained that the process of preparing a dish is much more complex than ensuring that it tastes good.

“There’s room for a lot of creativity and innovation in the culinary arts. Elements involved in the preparation and presentation of dishes — each of which has a story behind it — should appeal to all senses, not just taste,” Aleikish said.

Fuelling his passion for cooking is the happiness a delicious and “finely” presented dish brings others, he added.