Chef Pierre Thiam

Pierre Thiam is a celebrated chef, restaurateur, award-winning cookbook author, and entrepreneur. Born and raised in Senegal, he is known for his innovative cooking style, at once modern and eclectic yet rooted in the rich culinary traditions of West Africa. His critically acclaimed New York restaurants Teranga*, located in Harlem and in Midtown Manhattan, introduce healthy fast casual fare directly sourced from farmers in West Africa. He is the founder of Yolélé, which distributes African food products across the USA, introducing such ingredients like Fonio, a resilient and nutritious ancient grain from the Sahel region of West Africa. Pierre is the author of four cookbooks including his latest, Simply West African, released in October 2023. He has won numerous awards and accolades for his cooking and advocacy including the prestigious James Beard Foundation Cookbook Hall of Fame in 2024. He is on the board of directors for three global nonprofits, IDEO.org, SOS Sahel and Corps Africa as well as on the board of New York Common Pantry (NYCP) and has served on the Advisory board of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).