Four-time James Beard nominee and TIME 100 Next honoree Serigne Mbaye is the Chef and owner of Dakar NOLA, a New Orleans pescatarian restaurant celebrating modern Senegalese cuisine. The tasting menu showcases local seafood and produce from south Louisiana farmers. Born in Harlem and raised in Dakar, Senegal, Serigne learned to cook at his mother’s side. After graduating at the top of his class from the New England Culinary Institute in 2016, he honed his skills at Commander’s Palace, Atelier Crenn, and L’Atelier Joel Robuchon. In 2020, Serigne launched the Dakar NOLA pop-up during the pandemic, opening his brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2022.

Dakar NOLA has quickly gained acclaim being named No. 6 in North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 and The Best Restaurant in South USA. Most recently, Dakar NOLA was named one of Eater’s All-Time 38 Most Essential and Most Influential Restaurants in America in the past 20 years. Dakar NOLA was recognized as Best New Restaurant of 2024 by the James Beard Foundation, along with recognition from USA Today, Bon Appetit, Eater, Esquire, and more. Featured in the New York Times, Saveur, and Garden & Gun, it’s one of the hottest new restaurants in New Orleans.

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