Leah Cohen
Chef & Owner, Pig & Khao and Piggyback; 2013 StarChefs Rising Stars Award Recipient; Bravo’s Top Chef Contestant
SPEAKER FEE RANGE: $10,000–$20,000 [FEE NOTE]
TRAVELS FROM: New York
Leah Cohen is the chef and owner of popular Lower East Side restaurant Pig & Khao and Piggyback by Pig & Khao in Midtown Manhattan. Opened in fall 2012, Pig & Khao is an intimate, 74-seat restaurant serving Southeast Asian cuisine influenced by Leah’s Filipino upbringing and her annual expeditions to the region. Acclaimed by publications including the New York Times, New York Magazine, and The Huffington Post, Pig & Khao has been praised for its Asian street food-inspired fare, casual, inviting ambiance, and inventive bar program. Recipient of a 2013 StarChefs Rising Stars Award, Leah’s main cooking philosophy is to stay true to authentic Southeast Asian flavors while incorporating classical western techniques.
Leah Cohen is the chef and owner of acclaimed New York City restaurants, Pig & Khao on the Lower East Side. A 2013 StarChefs Rising Stars Award recipient, Leah’s Filipino upbringing and annual expeditions to the region are reflected in her cooking philosophy, which stays true to authentic Southeast Asian flavors while incorporating classical western techniques.
Early in her career, Leah Cohen cut her teeth in Michelin-starred restaurants working alongside some of the world’s most renowned chefs, and continued to gain momentum as a competitor on the fifth season of Bravo's "Top Chef” series. In 2012, Leah opened the intimate 74-seat Pig & Khao restaurant, where her Southeast Asian street food-inspired cuisine has received notable praise by The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more.
In her most recent venture, Piggyback NYC, which opened in January 2020, Leah broadened her culinary inspiration to include nearly all of Asia—from Vietnam and Myanmar to Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines—based on her immersive culinary travels throughout the continent. Her menu at Piggyback NYC is reflective of the traditional recipes, ingredients, and cooking techniques she learned firsthand working in kitchens throughout Asia, as she rediscovered—and brought home to NYC—the deliciously sweet, pungent, and spicy flavors of her youth.
Early in her career, Leah Cohen cut her teeth in Michelin-starred restaurants working alongside some of the world’s most renowned chefs, and continued to gain momentum as a competitor on the fifth season of Bravo's "Top Chef” series. In 2012, Leah opened the intimate 74-seat Pig & Khao restaurant, where her Southeast Asian street food-inspired cuisine has received notable praise by The New York Times, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more.
In her most recent venture, Piggyback NYC, which opened in January 2020, Leah broadened her culinary inspiration to include nearly all of Asia—from Vietnam and Myanmar to Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines—based on her immersive culinary travels throughout the continent. Her menu at Piggyback NYC is reflective of the traditional recipes, ingredients, and cooking techniques she learned firsthand working in kitchens throughout Asia, as she rediscovered—and brought home to NYC—the deliciously sweet, pungent, and spicy flavors of her youth.
A Conversation with Chef Leah Cohen
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