Creole cooking -- arguably the cuisine most universally tied to New Orleans -- is, by definition, a melding of indigenous and colonial, European and non. Far from static, it's an ever-changing, ever-evolving identity, and in this hands-on class, Chef Serigne Mbaye will take you on a journey to explore the many facets of "Creole." What's Senegalese food like, you might ask? Richly spiced and soulful, studded with seasonal vegetables and fresh-caught seafood, it's a culinary ancestor to gumbo, jambalaya, and so much more. You and up to 11 friends will prepare a meal filled with deeply familiar flavors and new-to-you nuances that will inspire your cooking for years to come. Grab a spoon and come stir this melting pot!

Please note: This cooking experience is designed to be in-person in New Orleans for up to 12 people. If you would like to bid on this as a virtual experience, we are eager to accommodate you. Contact [email protected] for additional information.

About Serigne Mbaye

A serendipitous encounter with some New Orleanians brought Chef Serigne Mbaye to the Crescent City. Serigne was born in the United States, but raised and educated largely in Senegal. A love for the cooking led him to New England Culinary Institute where he graduated at the top of his class in 2016. Though he started as a line cook, he rose to the level of sous chef at Commander's Palace and was the sous chef at Café Adelaide before its closing. He left New Orleans to hone his skills at Atelier Crenn, a 3-Michelin Star restaurant in San Francisco, and at L'Atelier Joel Robuchon, a 2-Michelin Star restaurant in New York. In 2018 he was awarded the Paul McIlhenny Culinary Scholarship at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, where he held regular pop-up dinners exploring the connections between the foods of Louisiana and Senegal. Back in New Orleans to stay, Serigne has created Dakar-nola Pop-up to bring modern Senegalese food to the city that he has come to love.