Ash Valenzuela-Heeger | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ashleigh Heeger October 1989 (age 36) Mthatha, South Africa |
| Other names | Ash Heeger |
| Education | Silwood School of Cookery |
| Spouse |
Erin Valenzuela (m. 2019) |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | Sustainable |
Current restaurant
| |
Previous restaurants
| |
Television show | |
Ashleigh Valenzuela-Heeger (née Heeger; born October 1989) is a South African chef and television personality. She won the 2025 Michelin Guide Young Chef Award, while her Birmingham restaurant Riverine Rabbit received a Bib Gourmand.
Early life
[edit]Ashleigh Heeger was born in Mthatha and grew up in Cape Town. She trained at the Silwood School of Cookery.[1][2]
Career
[edit]Early in her career, Heeger was mentored by Luke Dale-Roberts at his Cape Town restaurants La Colombe in Constantia Nek and The Test Kitchen in Woodstock. At his suggestion, she spent three years in London gaining experience at The Ledbury and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal before returning to South Africa. In 2016, Heeger opened her first sustainable restaurant ASH on Church Street in Cape Town CBD with her sister Mandy van der Berg.[3][4] In 2018, the restaurant rebranded to Riverine Rabbit.[5][6] For her sustainability, Heeger was named a 2018 WWF-SASSI trailblazer.[7]
Also in 2018, Heeger competed in the Netflix reality series The Final Table with Alex Haupt.[8][9]
In early 2020, she closed her Cape Town restaurant and relocated to England to be with her wife Erin.[10] She held a position at Carters in Moseley.[11] After hosting a series of pop-ups, the couple jointly re-opened Riverine Rabbit in the Stirchley suburb of Birmingham in 2024.[12] She won the 2025 Michelin Guide Young Chef Award, while Riverine Rabbit received the Bib Gourmand.[13][14] She was also shortlisted for Best Chef at the 2025 British Restaurant Awards[15] and named a Rising Star in the world of food by The Observer.[16]
Personal life
[edit]In 2019, she married Erin Valenzuela, a materials scientist at the University of Birmingham.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Lamb, Katie Ann (3 April 2019). "Riverine Rabbit presents an outstanding fine-dining experience in Cape Town". The Sloaney. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "South African chef Ash Valenzuela-Heeger wins prestigious Michelin award". Food & Home. 12 February 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Velosa, Julie (13 June 2016). "ASH Restaurant is Here". Crush. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Narrandes, Nidha (11 August 2017). "#WomensMonth - 6 chefs ruling Cape's culinary kingdom". IOL. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Velosa, Julie (9 November 2018). "A Bold, Fresh Experience at Ash Heeger's Riverine Rabbit". Crush. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Sustainability Focused Restaurant, Riverine Rabbit, Opens in Cape Town this Spring". WomenStuff. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "WWF-SASSI Trailblazers 2018 named". WWF South Africa. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "SA chef Ash Heeger is streaming ahead with Netflix cooking show nod". Times Live. 25 November 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Benatar, Nikki (8 March 2019). "Chef Ash Heeger on Cape Town (and starring in 'The Final Table')". Inside Guide. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Pasiya, Lutha (14 February 2020). "Chef Ash Heeger from 'Final Table' set to close her Cape Town restaurant". IOL. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ South, Alex (1 June 2023). "Chef to Watch: Ash Valenzuela-Heeger, Chef Owner of The Riverine Rabbit". The Staff Canteen. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Lutrario, Joe (15 December 2023). "Ash and Erin Valenzuela-Heeger to launch Riverine Rabbit in Birmingham early next year". Restaurant. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ a b Giddings, Andy (15 February 2025). "Young chef of the year enjoys British ingredients". BBC News. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Holmes, Richard (11 February 2025). "SA chef wins big at Michelin Awards!". Time Out Worldwide. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Pawson, Nick (24 July 2025). "South African chef nominated for 'Best Chef' at British Restaurant Awards". The South African. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ Various (23 February 2025). "30 things we love in the world of food, 2025". The Observer. Retrieved 5 June 2025.