Residency · April 2026
Nyesha Arrington
Celebrity Chef, Entrepreneur & Restaurateur
April 3, 2026 – April 30, 2026
This residency
What to expect
- CuisineDiverse, Southern & Afro Korean Fusion
- DatesApril 3, 2026 – April 30, 2026
- VenueRotation by Feast it Forward, Napa, CA — Oxbow Public Market.
Accolades
Recognition
- Jonathan Gold 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles for Native 2017
- Jonathan Gold 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles for Leona 2016
- Eater LA Chef of the Year 2015
- Knife Fight Esquire Network Winner 2013
- Jonathan Gold 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles for Native 2017
- Jonathan Gold 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles for Leona 2016
- Eater LA Chef of the Year 2015
- Knife Fight Esquire Network Winner 2013
- Zagat 30 Under 30 Los Angeles 2012
- Where LA Top Talent Under 30 2012
- LA Weekly 69 Most Interesting People to Watch 2012
- Chef Hunter Food Network Competition Winner 2011
- Rising Star by Angeleno Magazine 2010
About
Nyesha Arrington
Meet Chef Nyesha Arrington, the dynamic culinary artist known as "The Ninja" who has captivated audiences as a mentor on Fox's hit show Next Level Chef alongside Gordon Ramsay and Richard Blais.
A Top Chef alum and Eater LA's Chef of the Year, Chef Arrington brings a unique blend of Korean heritage, California innovation, and Michelin-starred training to create unforgettable dining experiences that celebrate global flavors and seasonal ingredients.
Trained under legendary chefs Josiah Citrin at two-Michelin-starred Mélisse and Joël Robuchon at his award-winning Las Vegas restaurants, Chef Arrington has established herself as one of America's most exciting culinary talents.
Her restaurants Leona and Native both earned coveted spots on the late Jonathan Gold's iconic "101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles" list, showcasing her commitment to farm-fresh, locally sourced California cuisine infused with her Korean-American heritage.
When Chef Arrington takes over the Rotation kitchen, expect a masterful fusion of artistic presentation and bold flavors—from Korean-inspired dishes learned at her grandmother's side to California's finest seasonal ingredients transformed through Michelin-level technique.
Her television success, culinary accolades, and dedication to sustainable cooking make every meal a next-level experience that you won't find anywhere else.
Gallery
Moments
Slide 1 of 4
Questions
FAQ
Who is Nyesha Arrington?
Nyesha Joyce Arrington is an American chef, television personality, and restaurateur, nicknamed "The Ninja." She is best known as a fan favorite on Top Chef: Texas Season 9, a co-star on Fox's Next Level Chef, and the chef behind acclaimed Los Angeles restaurants Leona and Native. Her food draws on a multiracial heritage — she grew up cooking from age five alongside her Korean grandmother, learning dishes like bulgogi, octopus, and homemade kimchi.
Where did Nyesha Arrington train?
A graduate of the Culinary School at the Art Institute of California – Los Angeles in 2001, Arrington went on to train under Josiah Citrin, Chef/Owner of the acclaimed two-Michelin-Star Mélisse restaurant in Santa Monica, who appointed her as saucier. Her resume also includes work with legendary French chef Joël Robuchon at his Michelin and Mobil award-winning Las Vegas restaurants, L'Atelier and The Mansion.
What awards and recognition has Nyesha Arrington received?
Arrington was named Eater LA's Chef of the Year in 2015 and was recognized by Zagat as one of the "30 Under 30" in 2012. The late food critic Jonathan Gold praised her restaurants Leona and Native, and she has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, GQ, Essence, and Forbes.
What television shows has Nyesha Arrington appeared on?
Arrington is a co-star on Fox's hit culinary competition show Next Level Chef and is the host and producer of the digital series Plateworthy on Eater. Her television credits also include Top Chef Season 9, MasterChef, Hell's Kitchen, Tournament of Champions, Guy's Grocery Games, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and ITV's Next Level Chef U.K.
What style of food is Nyesha Arrington known for?
Arrington's cuisine is rooted in California's farm-to-table ethos, layered with global influences drawn from her multicultural upbringing. She is highly regarded for her commitment to sourcing seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients. Her approach treats the plate as a canvas — before cooking professionally, she studied sculpting, watercolor, pointillism, and photography, a visual sensibility that carries directly into how she composes dishes.
What restaurants has Nyesha Arrington opened?
Arrington is known for her restaurant Native in Santa Monica, which sourced from the nearby farmers market, as well as Leona in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. She also operates a full-service chef consulting and catering business and has partnered with brands including Facebook, Tastemade, Nike, and PBS.
What makes Nyesha Arrington's cooking style distinctive?
Her food sits at the intersection of fine dining technique, California produce obsession, and deeply personal cultural memory. She has spoken at length about the influence of her Korean grandmother — describing food as something that allowed her to "feel a hug from the inside," an energy her grandmother transferred through the humble act of cooking. That emotional depth reads clearly in how she constructs a menu.
Where can I experience Nyesha Arrington's cooking?
Nyesha Arrington is the current chef-in-residence at Rotation Napa, the monthly culinary residency concept housed at Oxbow Public Market in Napa, California. It is one of the rare California venues where a chef of Arrington's profile cooks directly for guests outside of her home city — bringing her California-rooted, globally influenced cooking into wine country.
- Who is Nyesha Arrington?
- Nyesha Joyce Arrington is an American chef, television personality, and restaurateur, nicknamed "The Ninja." She is best known as a fan favorite on Top Chef: Texas Season 9, a co-star on Fox's Next Level Chef, and the chef behind acclaimed Los Angeles restaurants Leona and Native. Her food draws on a multiracial heritage — she grew up cooking from age five alongside her Korean grandmother, learning dishes like bulgogi, octopus, and homemade kimchi.
- Where did Nyesha Arrington train?
- A graduate of the Culinary School at the Art Institute of California – Los Angeles in 2001, Arrington went on to train under Josiah Citrin, Chef/Owner of the acclaimed two-Michelin-Star Mélisse restaurant in Santa Monica, who appointed her as saucier. Her resume also includes work with legendary French chef Joël Robuchon at his Michelin and Mobil award-winning Las Vegas restaurants, L'Atelier and The Mansion.
- What awards and recognition has Nyesha Arrington received?
- Arrington was named Eater LA's Chef of the Year in 2015 and was recognized by Zagat as one of the "30 Under 30" in 2012. The late food critic Jonathan Gold praised her restaurants Leona and Native, and she has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, GQ, Essence, and Forbes.
- What television shows has Nyesha Arrington appeared on?
- Arrington is a co-star on Fox's hit culinary competition show Next Level Chef and is the host and producer of the digital series Plateworthy on Eater. Her television credits also include Top Chef Season 9, MasterChef, Hell's Kitchen, Tournament of Champions, Guy's Grocery Games, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and ITV's Next Level Chef U.K.
- What style of food is Nyesha Arrington known for?
- Arrington's cuisine is rooted in California's farm-to-table ethos, layered with global influences drawn from her multicultural upbringing. She is highly regarded for her commitment to sourcing seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients. Her approach treats the plate as a canvas — before cooking professionally, she studied sculpting, watercolor, pointillism, and photography, a visual sensibility that carries directly into how she composes dishes.
- What restaurants has Nyesha Arrington opened?
- Arrington is known for her restaurant Native in Santa Monica, which sourced from the nearby farmers market, as well as Leona in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. She also operates a full-service chef consulting and catering business and has partnered with brands including Facebook, Tastemade, Nike, and PBS.
- What makes Nyesha Arrington's cooking style distinctive?
- Her food sits at the intersection of fine dining technique, California produce obsession, and deeply personal cultural memory. She has spoken at length about the influence of her Korean grandmother — describing food as something that allowed her to "feel a hug from the inside," an energy her grandmother transferred through the humble act of cooking. That emotional depth reads clearly in how she constructs a menu.
- Where can I experience Nyesha Arrington's cooking?
- Nyesha Arrington is the current chef-in-residence at Rotation Napa, the monthly culinary residency concept housed at Oxbow Public Market in Napa, California. It is one of the rare California venues where a chef of Arrington's profile cooks directly for guests outside of her home city — bringing her California-rooted, globally influenced cooking into wine country.