HIBT Lab! Yolélé: Pierre Thiam

Culinary Roots

Pierre Thiam grew up in Dakar, Senegal, a city known for its rich blend of cultural influences, including French, Lebanese, and Vietnamese cuisines. This diverse culinary environment shaped his palate and inspired his cooking style, which he later brought to New York. Pierre's journey into the culinary world was marked by a desire to recreate the flavors of his childhood, leading him to explore his culinary identity through the dishes he prepared for family meals in restaurants 1.

I was free to become a cook and later a chef.

--- Pierre Thiam

His unique approach, combining traditional Senegalese flavors with new influences, eventually led to the opening of successful restaurants in New York and Miami 2.

   

Fonio Business

Pierre's entrepreneurial journey in the United States began with the idea of introducing fonio, an ancient West African grain, to the American market. Recognizing its nutritional benefits and potential to boost the local economy in Senegal, he partnered with Philippe Teverow, a veteran in the food industry, to create a brand around fonio 3.

Fonio was checking all the boxes. So I was like, this is what we could do. Let's brand it.

--- Pierre Thiam

Together, they aimed to establish a supply chain that would not only market fonio as a nutritious, gluten-free product but also empower local farmers by creating demand for the grain 4.

   

Empowering Communities

Pierre's initiatives with fonio are deeply rooted in empowering local communities in Africa. By promoting fonio cultivation, he aims to provide economic opportunities and reduce the need for young people to risk dangerous journeys in search of better livelihoods 5.

Fonio is actually the thing. It's growing here, and this could be desired and bring income.

--- Pierre Thiam

His vision is to transform fonio into a world-class crop, similar to quinoa, thereby creating jobs and encouraging people to stay and work in their communities rather than migrate 6.