Fariyal Abdullahi | |
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![]() Fariyal in 2023 | |
Born | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 27 September 1986
Education | Culinary Institute of America |
Occupation(s) | Chef, restaurateur, and TV personality |
Fariyal Abdullahi is an American chef, television personality, and restaurateur. [1] [2] [3]
Fariyal Abdullahi was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is the youngest child to her parents. Fariyal states that her mother was the greatest cook and an inspiration. [4] [5] Later, when she was a teenager, she would relocate to the United States. [6] [7] Fariyal Abdullahi initially received a B.A. in Psychology at California State University, Long Beach before transitioning to culinary studies. She studied at the Culinary Institute of America and subsequently worked at Noma restaurant in Denmark. [8]
In 2021 Fariyal was among the chefs who prepared meals for the Met Gala held in New York City. [9] In 2025 she was nominated for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Award. [10]
She is currently executive chef of Hav & Mar, a restaurant owned by Marcus Samuelsson in New York City. [11] [12]
She is a regular on the Food Network appearing in Beat Bobby Flay , Supermarket Stakeout , Chopped & 24 in 24: Last Chef Standing series 2 . [13]
Fariyal has also appeared on CBS Mornings and ABC's Tamron Hall. [14] [15]
Abdullahi is of Harari background. [16] Abdullahi is also Muslim. [17]
"The imprint that I want to leave on this industry is it should be welcoming, and it should allow us to all focus on our crafts and nothing else. I don't want to be reminded of the fact that I'm a woman, I'm an immigrant, I'm Muslim—I don't wanna think about any of that stuff," she exclaims.