You might know him as the guy who eats $500 ribeye steaks on camera or the rapper who sounds uncannily like a Queens-bred Ghostface Killah. But before the sold-out shows and the Viceland checks, he was just a guy in a kitchen.
Action Bronson real name is Ariyan Arslani. It’s a name that carries a lot of weight, literally and figuratively. Born in 1983 in Flushing, Queens, Ariyan grew up in a household that was a melting pot of cultures. His father was an Albanian Muslim immigrant, and his mother was a Jewish New Yorker.
Honestly, that mix explains a lot about his vibe. He’s got that specific New York grit mixed with a deep, ancestral respect for food that you only get when your childhood involves rolling out dough with your grandmother. He wasn’t always "Bam Bam." He was just a kid from Bayside High School who happened to be a wizard with a chef’s knife.
From Ariyan Arslani to "Action" in the Kitchen
Before he was touring the world, Ariyan was a legitimate, fire-flame gourmet chef. He didn't just play one on TV. He actually studied at the Art Institute of New York City’s culinary program.
He worked the line. He sweated in front of industrial stoves. He eventually became the head chef at his father's Mediterranean restaurant in Forest Hills. He even did a stint as the head chef for the New York Mets.
Can you imagine?
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Ariyan Arslani, long before the tattoos and the orange beard became iconic, was probably searing steaks for professional athletes while dreaming up rhymes. He even had a YouTube cooking show back in the day called Action in the Kitchen.
Music was just a side hustle. A hobby. It stayed that way until a literal "break" changed his life.
The Injury That Gave Us Action Bronson
In 2011, Ariyan slipped in the kitchen and broke his leg. It was a nasty break—the kind that keeps you off your feet for months.
For a chef, your legs are your livelihood. If you can’t stand, you can’t cook. If you can’t cook, you don't get paid.
Stuck at home and unable to man the grill, he poured everything into his lyrics. He stopped being Ariyan the chef for a minute and became Action Bronson the MC.
He dropped Dr. Lecter in March 2011. The rap world noticed. Suddenly, people weren't asking about his baklava; they were asking about his flow.
Why the Name Change Mattered
Why didn't he just rap as Ariyan Arslani?
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"Action Bronson" sounds like a 1980s action movie star or a pro wrestler. It fits his persona perfectly. He’s a big guy with a bigger personality. He likes graffiti, handball, and old-school bodybuilding. "Ariyan" is a fine name, but it doesn't quite scream "I’m going to stage-dive into a crowd and then go get a Michelin-star meal."
He’s gone by other nicknames too, like:
- Bam Bam Bronsoliño
- Mr. Baklava
- The Flushing Freezer
But at the core, it’s always Ariyan. His Albanian roots are all over his music and his TV shows. He’s famously loyal to his crew—guys like Meyhem Lauren and Big Body Bes—who have been with him since the Queens days.
The Evolution of the Brand
These days, the line between Ariyan Arslani and Action Bronson is pretty much gone.
He’s managed to build a career where he doesn't have to choose. He raps about Seared Ahi Tuna and rare Nikes in the same breath. If you watch Fuck, That's Delicious, you see a man who is entirely comfortable in his own skin.
He even pivoted into a massive health journey recently. He lost over 100 pounds by hitting the gym with the same intensity he used to bring to the kitchen. It was a move for his family—he has three kids and wanted to make sure he was around for them.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re just getting into his world, don't just stick to the TV shows. You’ve gotta hear the music to get the full picture of who Ariyan really is.
- Listen to Blue Chips: This mixtape (produced by Party Supplies) is peak Bronson. It’s raw, funny, and full of weird sports references.
- Watch the "Easy Rider" Video: It’s basically a mini-movie of him riding a motorcycle through the desert looking for a guitar.
- Check out his cookbook: If you want to see the "chef" side of Ariyan Arslani, his book Fuck, That's Delicious: An Annotated Guide to Eating Well is a great place to start. It's less of a standard cookbook and more of a chaotic, beautiful map of his brain.
Ariyan Arslani’s story is basically a masterclass in how to pivot. He took a career-ending injury and turned it into a multi-million dollar media empire just by being himself. Not bad for a kid from Queens.
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Actionable Insight: If you're looking to explore more of his recent work, check out his 2024 independent album Johann Sebastian Bachlava the Doctor. It shows he hasn't lost his touch, even after a decade in the spotlight.