Kubee Kassaye of Ethiopia wins prestigious award for cooking

Kubee, who works as a chef at the five-star Peninsula Hotel in Manhattan, has won the 2012 Legacy Award for culinary achievement by the prestigious philanthropic society, Les Dames d'Escoffier International. She was won of six women to earn the coveted distinction.

As part of the award, Kubee will travel to Vancouver next month to work side-by-side with award-winning executive chef and author Margaret Chisholm, of Culinary Capers.

“It’s amazing,” she said. “I was so excited when they told me.”

It’s been a whirlwind journey for Kassaye, who was born in a small farming village in Ethiopia.

Growing up, she always wanted to be a chef but school was not an option for her in a rural village.

“Back in those days, girls were always in the kitchen with their mothers,” said Kubee, who was one of 10 children. “My mother would tell me to go play with the kids, but I didn't want to. I wanted to learn how to cook.”

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