New Orleans chef wins top honor at James Beard Awards
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Serigne Mbaye accepts the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South at Monday's ceremony. He and Effie Richardson (center) co-own Dakar NOLA. Photo: Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for the James Beard Foundation
Dakar NOLA's accolades keep piling up.
Why it matters: Chef Serigne Mbaye won a James Beard Award this week, the latest recognition for a restaurant that's become one of New Orleans' biggest culinary success stories.
The big picture: Mbaye thanked New Orleans in his acceptance speech Monday for best chef in the South, saying it's "where I finally felt free to be fully myself and where my community embraced what I had to offer."
- After the ceremony, he told Axios in an exclusive interview that he hopes the award shows people that "West African food has a voice that is beautiful."
- "Our people are amazing," he said. "People should cook the food that you want to cook, and I want to inspire more chefs to do that."
Zoom in: The top honor comes two weeks after he and co-owner Afua "Effie" Richardson reopened their restaurant in a bigger space Uptown.
- The restaurant's famous seven-course tasting menu is served in its dining room, which is inspired by Senegalese family tables and market mornings.
- They'll unveil a new à la carte menu next month for patio diners.
Other local nominees: Mbaye was up against Acamaya chef Ana Castro for best chef in the South, which covers Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.
- Other nominated New Orleanians were Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski (outstanding restaurateur) and E.J. Lagasse (emerging chef).
- New Orleans writer Boyce Upholt won a media award over the weekend.
Flashback: Born in New York, Mbaye spent much of his childhood in Senegal. When he returned to the U.S. as a teen, he had to learn English.
- After working in various New York kitchens, Mbaye attended the New England Culinary Institute and then joined Commander's Palace.
- From there, he worked at the Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn before returning to New Orleans, where he served as chef de cuisine at Mosquito Supper Club and began a Senegalese pop-up called Dakar.
- That pop-up became his current nationally lauded restaurant.
Zoom out: Last month, the World's 50 Best Restaurants named Dakar NOLA No. 4 in North America and Best Restaurant in the South for 2026.
- The restaurant is also on Michelin's "recommended" list for the South.
- In 2024, Dakar won a James Beard Award for best new restaurant and landed on numerous national "best of" lists.
The bottom line: The awards "strengthen New Orleans' standing on the global culinary stage," writes Walt Leger III, the president and CEO of New Orleans & Co., which handles the city's tourism and marketing efforts.
- The attention helps "attract visitors from around the world, creating opportunities that benefit our entire restaurant, hospitality and cultural community," Leger said in a letter to supporters Tuesday. "As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats."
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