specialties:

  • West African

  • Senegalese

  • Global

  • California Seasonal

    A SEAT AT Chef PIERRE'S TABLE

    Chef Pierre believes that cooking, eating and sharing food are acts of love — for ourselves, our communities and the planet.

    Now based in Oakland, he brings that philosophy, along with more than three decades of experience and his distinctive approach to West African cuisine, to intimate dinners and special events throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

BIO:

Pierre Thiam is a Senegal-born, New York-bred, California-based chef, author, restaurateur, entrepreneur and culinary ambassador who has spent more than three decades bringing the foodways of West Africa to a global audience.

Born and raised in Dakar, Chef Pierre is a pioneer of modern West African cuisine. His cooking is rooted in the flavors and traditions of Senegal and the wider region, interpreted through a contemporary approach that emphasizes exceptional seasonal ingredients, vibrant flavors and generous hospitality.

For Chef Pierre, food is also a means of connection. Throughout his career, he has used the shared table to foster cultural understanding while championing sustainability, preserving culinary heritage and creating economic opportunities for African farmers.

ACCOLADES:

Pierre Thiam is a James Beard Award–winning chef and a member of the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America.

He is the author of four cookbooks:

Simply West African

The Fonio Cookbook: An Ancient Grain Rediscovered

Senegal: Modern Senegalese Recipes from the Source to the Bowl

Yolele! Recipes From the Heart of Senegal

His TEDGlobal talk about fonio, food and the future of African agriculture has been viewed more than one million times.

Chef Pierre has cooked for guests including French President Emmanuel Macron, former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the King of Morocco.

THE EXPERIENCE:

“Chef Pierre has a tender and intimate relationship with West African food that he shares with others generously. His passion seeps into his creations in such a way that when you take a bite of his food, that passion transfuses into you.”

— Lupita Nyong'o