Melanie Shurka

Melanie Shurka is a native New Yorker of Israeli-Iranian and Ashkenazi Jewish descent.  Melanie opened Kubeh to share the Middle Eastern dishes of her childhood with New York City.  When living in Israel to study law at Tel Aviv University, Melanie explored the myriad of Kubeh variations.  Quickly, Melanie realized that her love for Kubeh and all things Middle Eastern surpassed her desire to be a lawyer.  She returned to New York and worked at Balthazar and Laduree while teaching herself how to cook.  Eventually she began cooking Middle Eastern food for others as a private chef.  Melanie went on to host several pop-ups focused on Kubeh.  Their success led her and her husband, David Ort to open Kubeh in July 2017.  In developing the recipes for Kubeh, she spent time in homes and restaurants in Israel cooking with women from Iraq, Kurdistan and Syria.  There she learned the tips, tricks, and nuances in each of the traditions that have been passed generation to generation of women.   In 2020, Melanie won Food Network’s Chopped (Season 46, Episode 15, Skilfish Coping Skills) and donated her $10,000 prize to refugees and children via UNICEF.  To Melanie, community, ritual and warm hospitality are as important as the food.  During Covid-19 pandemic, Melanie and Kubeh team, with the support of the local community donated over 1500 meals to Hospital healthcare workers.  On the Jewish holidays you can find her pouring wine in a kiddush fountain.  During regular service, you can find her reading Turkish coffee fortunes as her Persian ancestors taught her.