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Mediterranean
All the Way


Ayesha Nurdjaja

About the Book

In her debut cookbook, the powerhouse chef behind Shuka and Shukette, Ayesha Nurdjaja, serves up over 120 seasonal, flavor-packed, Mediterranean and Levant–inspired dishes that don’t hold back.

At her hit restaurants, Shuka and Shukette, Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja brings the party with bold, colorful, vegetable-forward Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. In her debut cookbook, she’s doing the same—sharing over 120 vibrant, foolproof recipes that let peak-season produce steal the show. No fussy steps, no endless ingredient lists—just big herbs, bold spices, and plenty of sauces to swipe, drizzle, and drag your bread through.

This is food meant to be ripped, dipped, and devoured. You’ll find silky-smooth hummus, rich and creamy labne, and easy to make flatbreads to swipe it all up. The heart of
Mediterranean All the Way is seasonal produce, and Ayesha brings it hard with knockout combos like Fig & Burrata finished with an icy shower of frozen fig or Halloumi with Strawberries, spiked with Aleppo pepper and sumac. There’s tahini-drizzled Roasted Cauliflower with Dates & Pistachio Chermoula that hits every note—sweet, nutty, crunchy, caramelized—and a springy Pea Party that’s exactly as fun as it sounds. Throw in an extra crispy Sesame-Crusted Chicken Schnitzel or juicy Middle Eastern Meatballs, and you’re in business.

Whether you’re cooking for two or for a crew, Ayesha’s menus and mix-and-match dishes make it easy to build a table that’s as generous and joyful as the food itself. All you need now is a trip to the market—and maybe a second round of flatbread.

chef ayesha

Ayesha Nurdjaja

Ayesha Nurdjaja is a James Beard Award Finalist (2022, Best Chef: New York State) with multiple James Beard Award semifinalist nominations. Since 2025, she has been a Titan on Food Network’s Bobby’s Triple Threat, with one of the strongest win records in the history of the show. She is the executive chef and partner at Shuka, the Eastern Mediterranean restaurant in SoHo, and Shukette, its faster, looser, louder sister restaurant in Chelsea, which has been on The New York Times 100 Best Restaurants in New York City list three years in a row.

A Brooklyn native of Italian-Indonesian heritage, Ayesha pursued a business degree at Pace University before realizing food was her true passion and enrolling at the Institute of Culinary Education. She opened Shuka in 2015 with The Bowery Group, earning a devoted following for her vibrant, spice-driven Eastern Mediterranean cooking, and followed with Shukette in 2021 to rave reviews.

kebabs
Muhamarra
persimmons
spicy and tart chicken wings
ayesha with champagne
cherries with serranos and cilantro
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