About — Chef Nyesha Arrington

About Chef Nyesha

Chef Nyesha J. Arrington, aka “The Ninja”, has been in love with the kitchen since cooking alongside her Grandmother at a young age. Born in Southern California, Arrington was introduced early to diverse foods such as bulgogi, octopus, and homemade kimchi. These experiences infinitely shaped Arrington's palate development and her ideas about cooking and culture. By integrating flavors and techniques from around the world, Arrington can create a global style that is both personal and unparalleled.

After graduating from the Art Institute of California in Los Angeles, Arrington soared to new heights in every culinary position. From Michelin-starred restaurants including Mélisse under Chef Josiah Citrin, L’Atelier, and The Mansion under Chef Joël Robuchon. Arrington established an immense fine dining background. She was awarded Chef of the Year by Eater LA, and became a Zagat honoree for Los Angeles’ "30 Under 30.” The late Jonathan Gold placed her California restaurants, Leona and Native, in the “Best 101 of Los Angeles.”

Bocuse d’Or

2021 National Selection

As an ultimate life achievement, Nyesha had the honor of being chosen to compete in the United States trials of the Bocuse d’Or food competition which lasted five hours and 35 minutes.

Nyesha and her commis Michael Sansom trained for months and braved the challenge at The Culinary Institute of America’s Copia campus in Napa.

Arrington is celebrated for her advocacy of using farm-fresh, locally, and responsibly sourced ingredients and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, GQ, Cooking Channel, Essence Magazine, Life and Thyme, and Eater LA for her accomplishments in the culinary industry. Partnerships with Facebook, Tastemade, Nike, PBS continue to advocate for her culinary vision for the world.

Additionally, Arrington has headlined Austin Food & Wine, Los Angeles Food Bowl, Disney California Adventure® New York Food & Wine Festival, and was featured on the Cover of The Rachael Ray Everyday (March 2019) and Delta Airlines’ Sky Magazine (May 2018).

TEDxBerkeley

Nyesha shares her concept of identity through food. Her definition of recipes is “a cultural vessel crafted through the lens of cooking.”

She talks about how she was chosen to become a chef and her beliefs about food being the common denominator of life.

2022

Native by Nyesha

Today, Arrington owns and operates a full-service, chef consulting & catering business, Arrington LLC., and also a restaurant called Native by Nyesha located in LAX airport Delta Terminal 3.

Enjoy a breakfast of champions with blueberry cornmeal pancakes or devour Nyesha’s Korean style fried chicken wings with sweet & sour spicy sauce dakgangjeong. Don’t forget a signature cocktail.

Next Level Chef

Nyesha travels across the planet doing speaking engagements, producing food experiences, and currently mentors on the food competition TV show Next Level Chef, standing alongside Chef Gordon Ramsay and Chef Richard Blais.

Picture a 3 level cooking gauntlet, where home cooks, social media chefs, and professional chefs battle to make the best meal in every challenge. The winner receives $250,000 and a year-long mentorship from Nyesha, Gordon, and Richard.