About KAI

Kai Kani is a 23-year-old chef. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, at the tender age of 2, she would spend her afternoons watching the Food Network. By the age of 3 she was the new sous chef in the kitchen. 

    By the time Kai was 6, her mom would let her cook on her own, as well as use her first knife. Kai would constantly study the science and art behind cooking. After school, Kai would come home and watch cooking documentaries, read cookbooks, and test recipes. Kai became homeschooled in 2014 and continued to be for all of her high school years. Being homeschooled allowed Kai the opportunity to focus on her craft and build her brand starting in Los Angeles and eventually worldwide.

    Over the past 17 years Kai has honed her skills in the kitchen and crafted many dishes such as Grilled Tandoori Spiced Ora King Salmon with Preserved Lemon Za’atar Labne, Moroccan Chermoula & Pickled Fresnos. Handmade Potato Gnocchi with Maine Lobster, Brown Butter Cream, Shaved Black Truffles and English Peas. Earl Grey Tea Olive Oil Cake with Vanilla Bean Creme Fraiche and Cardamom Poached Cara Cara Oranges to name a few.

​    Along with her innovative dishes, Kai has also proven her skills as a pastry chef. She started her first baking business at the age of 10 “Kai’s Kakery,” which led her to hosting private events for The Oprah Winfrey Network, Kyle Richards of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Givenchy, The Los Angeles Clippers, Tatcha, NIKE, and Adidas to mention a few. 

   Kai is a well-known Cooking Content Creator. She has amassed a large following on TikTok (@KaiKani) where she teaches people all over the world how to cook and shares her knowledge of the culinary arts. With over 342,000 Followers, her viral videos garner millions of views. With her reputable brand she's formed social media brand partnerships with companies such as Apple, Target, Direct TV, Walmart, Disney + and Whole Foods.

   At the age of 14, Kai started her first pop up restaurant, “KAI,” which features a highly seasonal 8 to 15 course tasting menu . From the success of the first pop up, KAI launched “KAI Brunch,” “KAI Catering,” and “MERAKAI. 

  In 2015, Kai was a guest chef on “The Talk,” where she did a cooking demonstration of 3 different dishes. At 15, Kai was featured as one of the 100 Boss Ladies on the Create Cultivate 100 List. She was the featured professional chef on NBC’s “Food Fighters, and has been on “EXTRA.” Kai has been apart of the 2016 Oscars Gift Bag.  At the age of 16, Kai received the “Rising Star,” award from the Mary Parker Foundation. Kai’s passion for philanthropy has led her to host yearly events for charities such as The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, St.Vincent Meals on Wheels, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Inner-City Arts.

    Kai continues to run her successful brand Kai Kani, INC through social media, events for high profile companies, clients and the public. You can follow Kai's culinary and personal journey through her TikTok @KaiKani & Instagram @KaiKani. With cookbooks in the works, product development, television shows, and much more Kai continues in her constant pursuit of building the lasting brand KAI.