A Beninese wins an African gastronomy competition in Dakar

Seven chefs from West Africa were competing in an African gastronomy competition held in the Senegalese capital as they were asked to create original dishes based on an imposed ingredient: fonio.

Benin’s Jean Zinsou, who prepared a fonio rosti with a poultry roulade stuffed with a Senegalese fruit sauce, finally won over the jury.

He will receive one year’s support to open his own restaurant.

Fonio is an ancestral gluten-free cereal, slightly thicker than semolina grains.

“African gastronomy knows very little about fonio. Millet and maize are more popular, which is why we need to do a lot of outreach. We’re in the process of making sure that it’s well known in African kitchens, and even internationally”, explained Yousoupha Diémé, president of the Senegalese federation of chefs and co-organizer of the gastronomy competition.

Guinean chef Kokou Lavonon and Senegalese chef Moussa Ndiaye Sow are second and third prizewinners respectively.