Pierre Thiam, African Iron Chef in New York
We met Pierre Thiam about ten years ago in Brooklyn, when he was planning two eateries almost simultaneously. Since then, he has not stood still. He competed against Bobby Flay on Iron Chef America , wrote a cookbook, helped put together a festival of African cuisine in Dakar, and much more. I asked him a few questions about the road he travelled. Chef Thiam, photo courtesy Simran Jaising What is your background--where were you born, raised, in what languages? I was born and raised in Dakar, Senegal. The official language is French but in Senegal, everyone speaks Wolof. My mother is from the south of Senegal, where Portuguese Creole is spoken, and she taught me this language, so I grew up speaking these three languages. Grilled Chicken Yassa with Lime and Onion Confit Over Jasmine Rice, inspired by a typical Senegalese dish Photo: Adam Bartos When did you decide that you wanted to be a chef, that you loved cooking? How and ...