Ayesha Kalaji is the Executive Chef and founder of Queen of Cups, a unique restaurant in a 17th-century coaching inn in Glastonbury. Her distinctive culinary style blends her Jordanian heritage with influences from her upbringing in Wales and experiences in London. Queen of Cups is celebrated for its modern Middle Eastern dishes using classic French techniques, featuring locally sourced ingredients and seasonal menus. The restaurant has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand and was shortlisted for ‘Best Newcomer’ at the Estrella Damm Top 100 Gastropubs 2023.
Her vibrant and creative dishes reflect her cultural background and dedication to her craft, earning her significant recognition, including appearances on MasterChef: The Professionals in late 2023. Her participation in the show brought national attention to her culinary style and her restaurant, highlighting her talent and innovative approach to cooking.
Needless to say, it was a true pleasure to chat with Ayesha. Her passion for her craft and her delightful stories left a lasting impression. I’m genuinely excited to visit Queen of Cups soon and experience her incredible culinary creations first-hand.
What does your Monday morning routine look like?
The weekends are so busy, so Monday morning I sort of take stock. I wake up, have a slower morning with a coffee in bed and check the finances and data from the week. I hang out a bit with my cats and then I come in. It’s the one morning of the week I can take stock of everything and have a, not relaxed but a slightly slower start to the day, because every other day is so intense! I have a fantastic sous chef who runs a Monday lunch, so it gives me the chance to catch up on a bajillion emails and all of those fun things – it’s a never ending To Do List!
What’s your all-time favourite movie, and why?
Can I say two? I would always say I love Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The aesthetic of it, it’s so beautiful and Audrey Hepburn! I absolutely adore her. Looking back at it, there are some obvious problematic aspects like the white man playing the only person of colour but if you ignore those, it’s a beautiful film.
I must admit I’ve also watched the Disney Hamilton musical countless times. It’s incredible and I’ve been known to play the music in the kitchen! I love a good sing-along, so I’d also say Moulin Rouge. I’ve seen that so many times as well. I’m a bit of queen to a habit. When I like something, I’ll watch it over and over again.
What is your most memorable foody childhood memory?
That’s an easy one! My grandmother, who I take a lot of influence from, is a great inspiration for me. My dad was one of many, many siblings, so when we visited Jordan in the summer when I was young, all the family were there. All the cousins, the aunts and the uncles, and she would cook the most incredible food. Shish Barak – that’s the one that will always stay with me. It’s a Middle Eastern style of tortellini. It’s a little pastry filled with lamb and then baked in yoghurt sauce. Just the smell of it takes me back. It’s one of those things that’s truly imprinted in my brain.
My grandmother passed away last year and so for me, honouring her memory with my food is so important to me. That’s why her pickle turnips are on my menu. It’s the exact recipe and I will never change it. You will always start the meal with my grandmother and end it with me! Sharing with food is an act of love. It’s an act of connection. So that’s what I aim for.
What’s your favourite way to unwind and de-stress?
I would say a nice glass of wine. Normally at the end of a shift, we all sit down together and have a drink. We talk about the day. There’s a camaraderie in it where you all sit down together and go: “Gosh, that was busy!” I think that’s my first step of unwinding.
What job is the favourite you’ve ever had and what made it so special?
I would say I’ve probably got two! I remember we did a school fete when I was about eight and we were doing an auction, and I got to be the auctioneer and about 80% of the proceeds went to Palestine. Little eight-year-old me was like: “We’re going to raise money and I’m going to be a little auctioneer!” I don’t think I realised the concept of a starting price. I was like: “Who’s going to give me 20p for this keyboard?”
Otherwise, I’d say my first ever kitchen job at The Palomar. It was a trial by fire. I cried a lot in the dry store. Don’t get me wrong, it was really hard, but I remember it very fondly because I think it shaped me a lot as a chef. It was a formative experience for me. The head chef was an absolute rock star. There was an open pass with 20 seats on the bar and he would get a drum set out and start drumming across your section. It felt like you were at a party every night!
If you were to write a book, what genre would it be?
It would be fiction, because I like to read fiction and things related to food as well. I’d probably write something quite noir. I’m currently reading ‘I want to die, but I want to eat Tteokbokki’. It’s a brilliant book, so I think probably something in that vein. I think it would be a fictionalised exploration of the relationship between food and mental health and the person going through the process.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
I’ve received a lot of good advice in my life, but I think my dad is right when he says I talk too much. He says: “Listen more.” Take the time to hear other people’s opinions before your own. This is for life, but also in kitchens. The people who learn the fastest are the ones who watch and listen to everything that’s going on, not the ones talking and asking all the questions!
What’s your favourite season and what do you love about it?
I love autumn. I love the produce. Everyone loves summer and all the fruits and the berries, but autumn I think is overlooked because we’ve got things coming in like citruses and all the bitter leaves. Radicchio, endive, chicory. I love all the bitter flavours. Also, my sous chef goes out foraging for wild mushrooms – incredible chanterelles. I think it’s a really delicious, but much overlooked season. It’s not as cold as winter, not as rainy. I love the cold crisp days. I really think that’s my favourite.
What hobbies or interests do you have that would surprise us?
So, I watch a lot of Ru Paul’s Drag Race! I’m quite the expert! I watch every country, every season. You want to know the winner of season 3 in France? I know it – I adore it! I was also brought up doing horse riding and show jumping and I would like to get back into that, but to be honest, my life is food. If I have an evening off, I’ll go out for dinner… Oh, and I also know every Disney song off by heart. I’ll be in the kitchen wearing black and looking quite formidable and then I’m singing along to everything from The Little Mermaid! I recently had a very stressful day and the kitchen was so busy… I subjected my poor chefs to an eight hour Disney playlist!
What are you currently listening to (apart from Disney)?
I’ve got two favourite artists at the moment who I’d kill to see live. First is Elyanna. She’s a Palestinian-Chilean pop singer. She recently did a collaboration with Coldplay. I don’t really care about them, but my friend was desperate to see them and I’d made her go to a load of talks on Palestine, so I said, “Fine, I’ll go to Coldplay.” But then they brought out this little Palestinian pop singer, and I cried! To see her represented on the mainstage at Glastonbury was just so incredible.
The other person I’m listening to is Orville Peck. He’s a South African country musician living in the states. He has an incredible cadence to his voice. I listen to him every day and think he’s incredible. I would probably sell a kidney to see him live! He’s also been a judge on Drag Race. He’s a great figure for the queer community. Very openly gay in country music, which is not something that’s been seen in the past. I would highly recommend listening to him.
What is your favourite food/drink product on the market right now and why?
It’s sumac from this company called Shorkk. It’s the best sumac I’ve had in this country. Without a doubt, it’s absolutely astounding. It’s so pink. It’s so tangy. It’s the perfect sumac, basically. Shorkk is owned by a lovely couple who import from Lebanon and a third of the proceeds go to charities helping refugees in Lebanon. I also like the Hand of Fatima olive oils.
Where is your favourite holiday destination?
Somewhere where I don’t have to thing about work for starters!! I think the best holiday I ever, ever had was the Maldives. My brain disconnected from everything and all I did was swim and sit on the sand, and I’d swim some more and eat delicious food. I think for me, having that complete disconnect was just perfect! Also, Jordan. Seeing my family, the food, the culture, the history. I love Jordan. I think everyone should go. It’s an incredible country.
What would your last meal be?
I’ve thought about this a lot, because I’d have to say I’d like a tasting menu please. Because I love food so much!! I would like my grandmother’s Mansaf (a traditional Jordanian dish made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice or bulgur). Either that or a really exceptional mac ‘n’ cheese!
What would you do if you weren’t in the food, drink & hospitality industry
I would like to be a writer because I adore writing. I do a regular piece in the Morning Advertiser. Or perhaps I would go into the mental health world and be a therapist, because I had a therapist and she changed my life. She was the best thing that happened to me, so if I could give that to someone else, that would be great.
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten.
I had a spleen sandwich in Jordan. Not great. Didn’t love that at all! I will try anything that’s put in front of me apart from snails. I will not touch a snail. I’m terrified of them. Also fisheyes. I’ve tried them and, that is just a textural element, I can’t do it and I really want to like it but, no…
Book your table at Queen of Cups HERE and contact Ayesha via LinkedIn and Instagram.
