Fariyal Abdullahi
Hav & Mar | New York
February 2025
The youngest of six siblings, Fariyal Abdullahi always had a lot to live up to. Her older siblings went on to become doctors and surgeons, and she was expected to follow in their path. But growing up in Ethiopia, spoiled by her mother’s exceptional home cooking, Abdullahi fell in love with big family dinners, weekly trips to the market, and time spent in the kitchen. She moved to the United States for college, earning a bachelor’s degree in children’s clinical psychology, before her passion for cooking ultimately reached a boiling point. At 25, Abdullahi decided to enroll in culinary school. After graduating, she sent in a long shot application to work at Noma and soon found herself in Copenhagen, learning from Chefs René Redzepi and Dan Giusti and developing a strong work ethic.
After six months, Abdullahi returned to the United States and started as a prep cook at Caviar Russe. She left and joined the Hillstone Restaurant Group, opening and eventually running restaurants for them across the country over the next five years. During that time, Abdullahi became frustrated by the lack of diversity in hospitality and throughout her career. So, when the pandemic hit, she left the industry and returned home to Ethiopia, thinking her time in restaurants had come to an end.
Then, Abdullahi got an unexpected call from Chef Marcus Samuelsson, whom she had met while dining at Red Rooster in Harlem a few years earlier. He invited her to join the team of his upcoming project as the executive chef. Now, at Hav & Mar, she brings an international flair to the seafood-focused restaurant, touching on both her and Samuelsson’s Ethiopian heritage while placing an emphasis on environmental sustainability and the education of her team. Leading by example, Abdullahi is also using her platform to put the spotlight on other chefs and women of color through her Fariyal and Friends collaboration events.
