Aug 23, 2023 - Food and Drink

Akadi's Fatou Ouattara shares her last meal

Meira Gebel

Photo illustration of a place setting shaped like a skull and crossbones containing a photo of Fatou Ouattara. — Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of Fatou Ouattara

The Côte d'Ivoire-born chef of Akadi, Fatou Ouattara, is best known for bringing celebrated West African delicacies, like spicy curry-style stews and jollof rice with coleslaw and plantains, to Portland.

After Ouattara closed the restaurant in late 2020 to spend more time with her family, she assured diners a "bigger and better" comeback — and has since made good on that promise.

Driving the news: Since reopening Akadi in 2022, Ouattara offers cooking classes every Monday and Tuesday as a way to share her passion for Ivorian cuisine.

At the next class, Aug. 28, you can learn how to make creamy palm butter stew.

We wanted to know: If she had one last meal, what would it be?

"This is too easy," she told Axios.

Dinner: Ouattara's last meal would be the national dish of Côte d'Ivoire: attiéké — fermented cassava couscous served with either fried or grilled fish or chicken.

At Akadi, the dish is accompanied with housemade African salsa, which includes tomato, onion, habanero, oil, vinegar and salt.
"It's delicious," she said.

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Akadi's Fatou Ouattara shares her last meal

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