Kaleena Bliss Biography – Kaleena Bliss Wiki
Kaleena Bliss is a Pacific Northwest native and the new executive chef at the Chicago Athletic Association hotel. She appears as a contestant on the 21st season of Top Chef which was filmed in Wisconsin.
Growing up in Washington State, Kaleena developed a love for the Pacific Northwest’s abundant ingredients at an early age. She started cooking at 16 and earned her bachelor’s degree from the Culinary Institute of America in New York.
With more than 18 years of experience, Kaleena cultivated a successful career in renowned restaurants across Portland, Seattle, and the greater Puget Sound region. She was named a Puget Sound Business Journal “40 Under 40” honoree in 2022 and has won several national broadcast cooking competitions.
Kaleena relocated to Chicago in 2023 where she currently serves as the Executive Chef at the Chicago Athletic Association hotel, overseeing the acclaimed restaurant Cindy’s Rooftop and the hotel’s extensive banquet and events program.
Her menus showcase inspiration from her Pacific Northwest (PNW) roots, which encompass seasonality, locality, seafood, wild food, and foraged ingredients. Beyond her culinary pursuits, she enjoys backpacking and foraging, and advocates for raising awareness about mental wellness in the industry and beyond.
Kaleena Bliss Top Chef
Pacific Northwest native Chef Kaleena is one of the 12 contestants appearing on Top Chef season 21 which premieres on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.
The other contestants on the show will include Amanda Turner, Rasika Venkatesa, Michelle Wallace, Charly Pierre, Laura Ozyilmaz, Kenny Nguyen, David Murphy, Savannah Miller, Daniel “Dan” Jacobs, Valentine Howell Jr., Danny Garcia, Alisha Elenz, Manuel “Manny” Barella, and Kévin D’Andrea.
Kaleena Bliss Chopped
In 2022, she emerged victorious on Food Network’s Chopped: Casino Royale and Beachside Brawl.
The $40,000 grand prize and title of “Chopped” grand champion was awarded to the Seattle chef.
Kaleena Bliss Age
Chef Kaleena is a Pacific Northwest native who grew up along the Columbia River north of Portland. Her hometown is Seattle, WA and her current city of residence is Chicago, ILA.
Kaleena Bliss Parents
Growing up in Vancouver, Washington, Chef Bliss often watched PBS and Food Network cooking shows, particularly “Iron Chef,” with her parents.
Kaleena Bliss Boyfriend
The change of heart surprised her boyfriend back home on the East Coast. “He didn’t want to talk about it for like three weeks, but then he warmed up to the idea,” she says, laughing.
Kaleena Bliss Nationality
Chef Kaleena is of American nationality. She has not stated yet if she has Korean roots.
Her Instagram handle is @kaleenabliss.
