Raheem Sealey

KYU

Chef Raheem Sealey – Executive Chef, KYU Global | Bio

Growing up on the island of St. Croix, Chef Raheem Sealey exhibited culinary talents from a young age. He started cooking with his grandmother as a child and shares fond memories of working alongside her in the kitchen. With that inspiration at heart, he went on to work in prestigious resorts in St. Croix, quickly moving through the ranks from dishwasher to Garde Manger, until he had learned all kitchen stations.

Following the birth of his daughter, Sealey moved to the US to pursue new opportunities for his family. In 2009 he relocated to Miami and enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. While pursuing his education, his ambition kept him busy and he assumed roles working in some of Miami’s best kitchens starting with Michael’s Genuine, and then at Sugarcane Raw Bar & Grill, honing his skills on the robata grill under the guidance of Chef Timon Balloo. Following his graduation, Chef Raheem was soon recruited by ZUMA where he continued to develop his creativity, passion and leadership skills, rising to the rank of Sous Chef before moving on to Pao as an integral part of Paul Qui’s team.

In February 2016, Chef Raheem joined the KYU Miami opening team in the role of Sous Chef and was quickly promoted to Executive Chef. Under his leadership KYU received a number of accolades including a James Beard ‘Best Restaurant’ nomination in 2017, and inclusion on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2021.

During Covid-19, Chef Raheem opened a smokehouse pop-up, Drinking Pig BBQ, with his wife, Yohanir Sandoval, and best friend, Mark Wint, following a BBQ-filled visit to Austin, TX. The pop-up took Miami by storm, quickly becoming a beloved Miami-staple that was known to sell out daily. In 2023, Sealey teamed up with Forward Hospitality Group, opening a permanent Drinking Pig BBQ location at Welcome To The Farm – a country music venue backed by NBA-star Jimmy Butler, Musician Chase Rice, and former Chicago Bear Roquan Smith – with locations in both Chicago and Cleveland.

September 2024 marked a pivotal moment for Chef Raheem, with the decision to return to KYU, following the brand’s expansion under a new partnership with Reuben Brothers to New York, and Las Vegas. In his new role of Executive Chef for KYU globally, Sealey oversees the culinary direction, and menu development for all locations – NY, Miami, and Las Vegas – and will lead the upcoming 2025 opening in Los Angeles. His return marks a new era and exciting new chapter for KYU as a world-class restaurant brand.