Modern African cuisine: the chefs championing it today

Modern African cuisine is not a recipe, but a movement carried by identifiable chefs, with their restaurants, their accolades and their books. Here are five of them, in Paris, New York, London and Accra, who reinterpret West African ingredients and techniques in contemporary or Michelin-starred kitchens.

Mory Sacko, a Michelin star for West African cuisine in Paris

Born in Paris to Malian and Senegalese parents, trained notably at Le Meurice alongside Alain Ducasse, Mory Sacko became known through the show Top Chef before opening his restaurant MoSuke in Paris in September 2020. His cooking blends French, West African and Japanese influences; the restaurant earned a star in the Michelin guide and Mory Sacko was named to Time magazine's TIME100 Next list.

Pierre Thiam and the revival of fonio in New York

A Senegalese chef based in New York, Pierre Thiam runs the Teranga restaurants and founded Yolélé Foods, a company centred on fonio that works with producers from the Sahel. He is the author of four cookbooks, including The Fonio Cookbook, devoted to this ancient West African grain.

Fatmata Binta and nomadic Fulani cuisine, awarded internationally

A Sierra Leonean chef based in Accra, Ghana, Fatmata Binta received the Basque Culinary World Prize in June 2022, a first for an African chef. Her concept, Dine on a Mat, showcases the nomadic cuisine of Fulani communities; the prize funds were used to create the Fulani Kitchen Foundation, which supports women fonio producers.

Ikoyi, two Michelin stars for West African cuisine in London

Founded by Iré Hassan-Odukale and chef Jeremy Chan, the restaurant Ikoyi, in London, draws on Nigerian cuisine and pairs West African spices and ingredients with British produce. It earned its first Michelin star in 2018 and a second in 2022, a first for an Africa-inspired restaurant in the United Kingdom.

Selassie Atadika and “New African Cuisine” in Ghana

A former United Nations staff member and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Selassie Atadika returned to Ghana in 2014 to found Midunu, a nomadic dining concept in Accra. There, she develops what she calls “New African Cuisine”, which pairs local ingredients with a focus on the environment and the economics of supply chains.

A common thread: West African ingredients brought back to the fore

These chefs share the same gesture: giving a central place back to grains and ingredients long considered minor, starting with fonio, at the heart of both Pierre Thiam's work and Fatmata Binta's foundation. To discover these ingredients at home, see our selection of the 10 essential ingredients of West African cuisine, and for the techniques that inspire some of these chefs, our article on traditional African cuisine.