Pierre Thiam
Pierre Thiam
"Food is agriculture, agriculture is our cuisine. So yes, I am concerned. Some ingredients I used to see growing up are disappearing."
Born in Senegal and based in New York, Thiam's style of cooking has remained true to his roots. His company, Pierre Thiam Catering, is hugely popular and brings the distinctive flavours of West Africa to the Big Apple, with former UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon among its fans. Closer to home, Thiam is the executive chef at Nok by Alara in Lagos, Nigeria.
As well as being a talented chef, Thiam is also business savvy, with his brainchild Yolele Foods carving out a niche as a supplier of African superfoods. He also enjoys a prominent presence in the media stateside, having featured in Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, CNN's Inside Africa and the Food Network's Iron Chef.
Projects visited:
Chad - Project to Improve the Resilience of Agricultural Systems (PARSAT)
Stories
Recipes for Change: Chef Pierre Thiam shares a lockdown-friendly vegan chilli recipe
IFAD’s Recipes for Change chefs are carrying on with life under lockdown by sharing some excellent recipes that you can make with ingredients you’ve already got in your home cupboard. Senegalese Chef Pierre Thiam joins us from his home in New York State with a delicious recipe for vegan chilli.
Recipes for Change: Butternut squash, spinach & black-eyed peas with fonio
A stew made with sustainable ingredients is comfort food at its best: good for you and good for the planet. This stew, presented by Chef Pierre Thiam, is inspired by ingredients from his childhood in Senegal. It features black-eyed peas (also known as cow peas), a central cultural element of West African cuisines.