IWD E4: Ayesha Kalaji on Flavour, Fire and Fearlessness

In this final Women Changing the World episode, AJ Sharp sits down with chef and restaurateur Ayesha Kalaji to talk about building a career on her own terms, from studying Middle Eastern politics to earning four consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmands at Queen of Cups in Glastonbury.

They get into the realities of being a woman in professional kitchens, the outdated stereotypes that still linger, and why real change in hospitality has to come from within. Ayesha also shares how she went from working in other people’s kitchens to opening her own restaurant, staying fiercely true to herself, and turning joy, warmth and bold flavour into her signature style. It’s a brilliant conversation about resilience, identity, leadership and what happens when you stop trying to fit the mould and build your own table instead.

This series is sponsored by Fox and Bloom, a female-founded, women-led UK skincare brand creating 100% natural, waterless and plastic-free products designed to support healthy skin and the planet.

Listeners can also enjoy 15% off Fox and Bloom skincare throughout March using the code REBELS15.