Chef Serigne Mbaye and the Future of West African Cuisine in New Orleans—Plus the Stories Behind the Muffuletta and Bananas Foster

In this episode, presented by New Orleans & Company, ELLE Gourmet Editor-at-Large Catherine Lefebvre has an in-depth conversation with Chef Serigne Mbaye and Dr. Afua Effie Richardson of Dakar NOLA, recently ranked No. 4 on the 2026 North America's 50 Best Restaurants list and named Best Restaurant in the American South. Chef Mbaye reflects on the rise of West African cuisine in New Orleans, the deep connections between Senegalese and Southern foodways, and how Dakar NOLA is helping redefine the city’s culinary identity.

Also featured in the episode, two of New Orleans’ most iconic bites tell very different, but equally revealing stories of the city’s culinary identity. At Brennan's, Bananas Foster—created in the 1950s and still flambéed tableside—captures the theatrical, celebratory spirit of New Orleans dining, where dessert becomes performance. The muffuletta, meanwhile, traces its origins to Sicilian immigrants and the legendary Central Grocery, where the olive salad–layered sandwich became a defining symbol of the city’s Italian-American heritage. To explore its contemporary evolution, the episode also includes an interview at Cochon Butcher, where chefs reflect on how this classic is being reinterpreted for a new generation while staying rooted in tradition.

Subscribe to ELLE Gourmet Taste Talks for insider conversations on food, cooking, culinary travel, and food culture. Discover cooking trends, global cuisines, restaurant culture, entertaining ideas, and insider perspectives from the world's most interesting voices.

Whether you're passionate about cooking, obsessed with food travel, or curious about culinary trends, ELLE Gourmet brings you closer to the people and places shaping what's on our plates.

Join our newsletter

Visit our website

Subscribe to our magazine

Follow us on Instagram

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.