For this young Senegalese-American chef, shaping his culinary voice means going home
On the ground with the future leaders of the restaurant world
New Orleans is one of many cities where Mbaye has lived, but it’s the only one that by virtue of its food, culture, and even colonial history references the country he calls his homeland. He’s explaining this with his characteristically disarming speech, embellished with a persistent grin and charming lilt.
His goals as a chef are clear: to find himself through the pursuit of Senegalese cuisine, and to share his observances with the world. Growing up in boarding schools in rural Senegal, away from family, Mbaye developed an ability to find home in many places and forms — an invaluable quality on his journey of intercontinental cooking. This year Mbaye has bounced between a stint at a three-Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn in San Francisco, New Orleans, and Paris. While Thiam, a mentor, has undoubtedly helped open some of those kitchen doors, on matters of cooking, Mbaye has proven he’s willing to put in the work to prove himself.
In Senegal, cooking is a gendered activity, and for young men, even still, it is uncommon. But Mbaye’s love of food was always unmistakable, and long before boarding school, some of his earliest memories in life were entertaining alongside his mother, who taught him, the Wolof word denoting the “one-pot” style of cooking found in all quarters of the continent.
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