‘Top Chef’ Fan Favorite Has a Terminal Illness But Is Making the Most of Her Final Days

Fatima Ali was a rising star in the culinary world. She was a new favorite in food television. And the culinary world considers her to be one of the most innovative women in the field. Plus, she achieved all that before the age of 30. So Ali’s future looked bright.

But then came a devastating diagnosis…

The Best Chef

Even as a kid, Fatima Ali knew she wanted to be a chef. She had begged her parents to let her attend culinary school. And after a long battle, they caved. But with one caveat. Ali’s mother told her that if she was going to be a chef, she would have to be the best.

Her Early Career

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At 18, Ali left her hometown in Pakistan and made her way to the United States. She attended the Culinary Institute of America before starting her career with the Patina Restaurant Group in New York City.

Brigade de Cuisine

Ali worked as a junior sous chef (essentially the assistant to a kitchen’s second in command) at Cafe Centro. But the position was short-lived, and Ali had too much drive to be stuck as a “junior” anything for too long.

A Quick Promotion

For 18 months, Ali worked her way up the food chain (so to speak) with Patina. She wound up at Macy’s Stella 34, a new Italian restaurant, where she served as the youngest executive sous chef the company ever had.