CHEF ILKE SCHAAF

Chef Ilke Schaaf was born in Namibia and grew up in Georgia, where an early curiosity about food eventually turned into a calling. During her senior year of high school, a required career-week shadow placed her in the kitchen of a fine-dining restaurant in her small hometown. What began as a brief observation quickly became after-school shifts and weekend work, sparking a deep and lasting love for cooking. Chef Ilke moved to Savannah, Georgia, where she earned her Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and Pastry. She joined The Grey, the James Beard Award–winning restaurant that became the foundation of her culinary education. During her time there, she worked across pastry, prep, and savory line stations, developing strong technique, discipline, and confidence in a demanding, high-volume kitchen. In early 2024, she relocated to New York City and worked as chef de partie at Francie, an Italian brasserie. Next, she joined the intimate team at Clover Hill, a Michelin-starred kitchen of just four cooks, where she gained hands-on experience across stations and deepened her understanding of refined, precise cooking. Her cuisine is rooted in Western European traditions—classic French, Italian, Mediterranean, and Spanish techniques—layered with flavor influences from the American South and Southern Africa. In 2025, she was a finalist on Netflix’s Next Gen Chef, recognized as one of the country’s most exciting emerging culinary talents.