S2:E14 Chef Pierre Thiam I African Cuisine Making Moves

Corner Table Talk

On the way to Cleveland, Ohio to continue earning his chemistry and physics degree after his university in Senegal shut down due to student strikes, a young Pierre Thiam was waylaid in New York City having been robbed of his father's savings within one week of arriving. His introduction into New York City's restaurant world, borne out of necessity for survival and to avoid sharing the unfortunate news with his father, was where he found his calling.
Today, Chef Pierre Thiam is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, award-winning cookbook author, lecturer, and entrepreneur. Born and raised in Senegal, he is known for his innovative cooking style, modern and eclectic, yet rooted in the rich culinary traditions of West Africa. He is the chef and owner of critically acclaimed Harlem restaurant, Teranga, which serves fast-casual West African fare directly sourced from farmers in the region. Recently, he moved to the Bay Area to raise his family.
Pierre is the author of three cookbooks including, The Fonio Cookbook, released in October 2019. He has won numerous awards and accolades for his cooking and advocacy.
His company Yolélé advocates for smallholder farmers in the Sahel by opening new markets for crops grown in Africa. The company’s signature product, Yolélé Fonio, a resilient, restorative and nutritious ancient grain, is found in Whole Foods, Target, Amazon, and other retailers across America.
Chef Pierre and host Brad Johnson explore a variety of subjects including his journey through the restaurant ranks, the rise in popularity of West African food, his mission to bring the ancient miracle grain, fonio, to America and beyond, and how soul food reminded him of home with its rich flavors, an example of how the culture and food of Africa migrated to the Caribbean and America hundreds of years ago and survives today. We learn why Senegalese President Léopold Sédar Senghor was a hero for Pierre and his belief in "new humanism", which guided his actions when the pandemic struck. Join us at Corner Table Talk!

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