Chef Kaya Rehnberg
Head Chef

Kaya Rehnberg has spent over a decade working in kitchens, building her career through hands-on experience and a steady rise through the ranks. Originally from Eastern North Carolina, she was introduced to cooking at a young age by her grandmother, who taught her a simple rule early on: if you can read, you can cook.

Some of Kaya’s most meaningful food memories came from going out to eat with her mother. Raised by a single mom who worked multiple jobs, dining out was rare, but when they did, it was almost always Chinese or Japanese food. Those meals felt special and left a lasting impression, shaping her appreciation for these cuisines from an early age.

Kaya began working in restaurants at age 17 as a server before moving into the kitchen at age 18. From there, she worked in a range of kitchens across the country, continuing to develop her skills and perspective. While in Eugene, Oregon, she worked at Café Soriah, a fine dining Mediterranean restaurant known for both its high standards and its commitment to the local community.

During her time there, she became the first woman to work in the kitchen.

She later stepped into leadership roles, including her first management position in a Korean restaurant, and eventually served as Executive Chef of a pub in Oregon, where she developed and ran her own menu. That experience gave her a deeper understanding of both the creative and operational sides of running a kitchen.

Kaya joined the Scheffer Group after returning to North Carolina to be closer to family. She started as a line cook at Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian, working her way through multiple stations before stepping into a leadership role as Prep Manager. She went on to serve as Sous Chef at Gan Shan, the group’s pan-Asian concept, where she spent nearly a year working closely with Chef Ray Hui and further developing her experience with Asian flavors and techniques.

Now serving as Head Chef of The Majestic, Kaya brings a perspective shaped by years of experience in diverse kitchens and an early connection to Chinese cuisine. Inspired by the meals she grew up looking forward to, her approach focuses on creating Chinese-American dishes that feel familiar, well-executed, and worth coming back for.