Pierre Thiam Group is always interested in connecting with like-minded people and groups interested in catering, speaking events, private events, and more.
Pierre Thiam is a Senegal-raised, California-based chef, author, restaurateur, social entrepreneur & culinary ambassador. He welcomes you to his table.
Our perception of ourselves starts with the food we eat.
Pierre Thiam is a chef, author, and social activist best known for bringing West African cuisine to the global fine dining world. He is the executive chef and co-founder of Teranga, a fine-casual food chain from New York City that introduces healthy, casual fare directly sourced from farmers in West Africa. Pierre is also the Executive Chef of the award-winning restaurant Nok by Alara in Lagos, Nigeria and the Signature Chef of the five-star Pullman Hotel in Dakar, Senegal.
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 and nutritious grain, is found in Whole Foods, Target, Amazon, and other retailers across America.
Pierre has cooked for numerous government officials including the King of Morocco, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Former UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Through his devotion to advocacy, combined with his many media appearances, he has become known as a culinary ambassador. His mission is to promote West African cooking throughout the world. His TEDTalk, given at TEDGlobal 2017 in Arusha, Tanzania, has been viewed over one million times.
He has authored three cookbooks, including: The Fonio Cookbook: An Ancient Grain Rediscovered (2019), Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl (2015), and Yolele! Recipes From the Heart of Senegal (2008). He has won numerous awards and accolades for his cooking and advocacy.
Pierre Thiam serves on the Board of Directors for IDEO, SOS Sahel, CorpsAfrica, as well as on the African Cuisine Advisory Board from the Culinary Institute of America.
OUR MISSION
To promote diverse, healthy, conscious food cultures where eating and sharing food is an act of love—for yourself, your community, and for the environment.
Yolélé
Yolélé is a purpose-driven African food company that is committed to transforming communities in rural West Africa.
Teranga
Rooted in traditional African home cooking that emphasizes African-grown ingredients, Teranga is a culinary journey into the depth, diversity, and deliciousness that the motherland has to offer.
SIMPLY WEST AFRICAN
Chef Pierre's fourth cookbook was listed among the Best Cookbooks in 2023 by the LA Times, Epicurious, Eater, and Food&Wine.
Pierre in the press
The Chef Who Believes He Can Change the World | Esquire.com
“What kind of sustainable, delicious, healthy foods will we be dining on when climate change wreaks havoc on the planet? Pierre Thiam has a bold solution (and it includes beer).”
Photo by Nina Roberts
Dig Into West African Food in the East Bay With Star Chef Pierre Thiam | Eater SF
“Tag along for a tour filled with bean pie, smoky jollof rice, and snails of an unusual size”
Photo by Patricia Chang
Inspirational video by Pierre Thiam
Pierre Thiam is a chef, author, and social activist best known for bringing West African cuisine to the global fine dining world. He is the Executive Chef of the award-winning restaurant Nok by Alara in Lagos, Nigeria and the Signature Chef of the five-star Pullman Hotel in Dakar, Senegal. He is also the executive chef and co-owner of Teranga, a fast-casual food chain from New York City. His company Yolélé Foods advocates for smallholder farmers in the Sahel by opening new markets for crops grown in Africa; its signature product, Yolélé Fonio, is found in Whole Foods, Amazon, and other retailers across America.
Andy Learns How to Cook Senegalese Food | Bon Appétit
Andy Baraghani is basically starting from scratch with it comes to Senegalese food -- it's not a cuisine he is very familiar with. Join Andy on yet another culinary exploration as he learns how to make four traditional Senegalese dishes under the guidance of Pierre Thiam, the co-founder and executive chef at Teranga.
Check out our profile of Pierre here: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/fonio-pierre-thiam
A forgotten ancient grain that could help Africa prosper | Pierre Thiam
Forget quinoa. Meet fonio, an ancient "miracle grain" native to Senegal that's versatile, nutritious and gluten-free. In this passionate talk, chef Pierre Thiam shares his obsession with the hardy crop and explains why he believes that its industrial-scale cultivation could transform societies in Africa.