chef mame sow

Drawing her inspiration from seasonal, local ingredients, spices and colours, Mame Sow is a pastry chef celebrated for her juxtaposition of sweet and savoury flavours and her love of architecture. Her favourite ingredient to work with is chocolate, and through her creations, she aims to show the immense diversity of African flavours in her desserts. Shehas also ranked on New York City’s lists of Best Pastry Chefs, and was the pastry chef at Cecil/Minton’s when it wasnamed best new restaurant in the country by Esquire Magazine.

 

Born and raised in Dakar, Senegal, Sow spent her adolescence in New York, where she discovered her love for food. She was granted a scholarship at the city’s esteemed International Culinary Center, and her talents were subsequently cultivated by internationally acclaimed restaurateur José Andrés at his restaurant, The Bazaar. She was also the Culinary Director at Zaha Hadid's One Thousand Museum, one of the most high-end residential towers in Miami.

Shoebox Bakery, by Mame Sow

the ultimate pan-African bakery experience, spanning both sweet and savoury items, including Ethiopian injera flat bread, and oxtail friend rice.

  • Kiran Jethwa

    Seven Seafood

    Born and raised in Kenya to an Indian father and English mother, Kiran Jethwa is widely recognised as East Africa’s first international celebrity chef.

    Having fronted multiple shows for a variety of broadcasters across the world, his TV programmes have been viewed in more than 180 countries. Jethwa’s style has been described as “Bear Grylls meets Jamie Oliver” reflecting his passion for the outdoors and desire to source ingredients himself, coupled with his culinary flare and creativity. Jethwa was selected as one of the judges on the reality series The Great Kenyan Bake Off in 2019.

  • Mokgadi Itsweng

    Lotsha Kitchen

    Since opening Lotsha Kitchen and Cocktails in 2006, Chef Mokgadi has redefined Pan-African cuisine and garnered acclaim. Her cookbook, "Veggielicious," won a 2023 International Gourmand Award. She's crafted recipes for major brands and magazines, earning the 2013 Galliova award. A food activist, Mokgadi promotes sustainable eating through her pop-up, "The Plate with Chef Mokgadi," and collaborates with global initiatives like "The Chef's Manifesto" to support sustainable goals. She's also a judge for the Eat Out Restaurant Awards and a trustee at the Ladles of Love Foundation, focusing on food security.