Food culture in New Orleans has never been about what national lists our restaurants can make, it’s about community and spices and the flavor of those who have come before us. But while we don’t strive for national or international attention, it’s nice when one we have claimed as our own makes a splash and puts the city even more at the forefront of the food conversation. Serigne Mbaye’s Dakar NOLA has been a culinary darling since its opening a few years ago. After opening a brick and mortar location in 2022, Mbaye was nominated for a James Beard Award for Best Emerging Chef, the restaurant appeared on Bon Appetite’s 24 Best New Restaurants in 2023, and in 2024 won the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant. The Senegalese standout was named No. 4 on the North America 50 Best Restaurant list, as well as being named the Best Restaurant in the South. This June, Mbaye garnered his second James Beard Award, naming him Best Chef: South 2026.
You’re not from New Orleans, but you’re now one of our culinary titans. What was it about the city that made you want to invest in this community? The people of New Orleans are wonderful. They are the ones who won me over. They are kind and really embrace culture and art. Without those curious diners who supported me when I was a young cook doing pop-ups, I would not be where I am today.
Q: What keeps you passionate about your craft and putting food on the table for people that may have never had the opportunity to eat Senegalese food? Human interaction. I love seeing people dining at my restaurant, especially at the communal table sharing a meal together. There are also private tables, but the room is a shared space. Food has a lot of power. It connects people and brings them together. Witnessing that connection happening nightly at Dakar NOLA keeps me motivated. I want to continue to nurture people through food. That is my motivation, to constantly wow their hearts.
Q: If you could have the ultimate food day in New Orleans, where would you go and what would you eat? My mood for the day would determine where I go! I like to tell people that New Orleans is a city of moods. If I am in the mood for a poboy, I’d go to Guys or Parkway Tavern. If I was craving doubles, I would go to Queen Trini Lisa’s restaurant. She makes amazing comfort food. For a snoball, I would go to Chance in Hell Snowballs. For dinner I would go to Miss Shirley’s. That is one of my favorite restaurants. I love the vibe. The team there works so hard and Miss Shirley works the hardest of them all!
Q: If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing? I would be a lawyer. I loved Model Congress in high school, and I think I am a pretty good negotiator. That or something that involves working with my hands like running some sort of maintenance business like construction or an electrical company.
Q: What do you like to cook at home? These days I don’t cook much but, I love to cook rice, and a simple breakfast of eggs, lots of vegetables.
Q: You’ve won the awards, had massive recognition throughout the culinary community (and beyond), what’s next? Building a legacy. I want Dakar NOLA to be an institution here in the South. I want to continue to be the solid foundation for chef’s who leave my establishment thinking that the sky is the limit for them. I want to continue to challenge myself with local ingredients and see the menus at Dakar evolve in creativity and execution. Of course, I also want to grow the Dakar brand. I want to have a restaurant in Senegal. West Africa should be on everyone’s bucket list. My restaurant can be the catalyst that gets them there.
