meet The chefs
CHEF SERIGNE MBAYE
Three-time James Beard nominee Serigne Mbaye, is the Chef and owner of Dakar NOLA, a New Orleans pescatarian restaurant that focuses on modern Senegalese cuisine. The Dakar NOLA tasting menu proudly highlights seafood from local waters and produce from farmers in south Louisiana.
Born in Harlem, raised in Dakar, Senegal, Serigne’s most cherished memories of his childhood is where he learned to cook at his mother’s knee. Returning to the United States, he attended the New England Culinary Institute of Vermont, where he graduated at the top of his class in 2016. After graduating, Serigne was invited to stage at Commander’s Palace, leading to a two-year stint and promotion to sous chef at Cafe Adelaide in New Orleans. From there, he honed his skills at Atelier Crenn in San Francisco and L’Atelier Joel Robuchon in New York. Returning to New Orleans in 2020, Serigne launched a Dakar NOLA pop-up during the pandemic when much of the restaurant industry shut down.
In 2022, his vision led Serigne to open his first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Dakar NOLA, which in a short time has garnered impressive notice, including being named one of the best new restaurants of 2024 by USA Today and by Bon Appetit, and by Eater and Esquire in 2023. It is one of the hottest new restaurants in New Orleans and has been featured in notable publications including the New York Times, Garden & Gun, Saveur, Bitter Southerner, Thrillist, the Local Palate and more. Dakar NOLA is a semifinalist for the 2024 James Beard Awards: Best New Restaurant category.
CHEF NINA COMPTON
Winner of the 2018 James Beard “Best Chef: South” and semi-finalist for 2023 James Beard “Outstanding Chef,” Nina Compton is Chef/Owner of award-winning restaurant Compère Lapin in New Orleans’ Warehouse District and BABs (formerly Bywater American Bistro) in New Orleans’ “Sliver by the River” Bywater neighborhood. In March 2023, Compton opened Nina’s Creole Cottage – a fast-casual restaurant in Caesar’s New Orleans new celebrity chef food hall. Her latest venture, ShaSha Lounge: Social Aid and Pleasure Club, will open in mid-2024 as an NFT collaboration with several other top Chefs from across the United States.
CHEF CHARLY PIERRE
Charly Pierre has always aspired to be a chef and a leader since he could remember. Growing in his Haitian household naturally educated him on dishes deeply rooted in the family’s past. By the time Charly graduated high school in Cambridge Massachusetts, he had already ran the line at his restaurant and received a scholarship to Southern New Hampshire University. After graduating and working 5 years in Boston Managing, cooking and serving, it was time for a change. In the fall of 2015 Charly moved to New Orleans, LA. Immediately after moving to NOLA, Charly and business partner Eva Chereches had seen a need for Haitian food in the city and the Fritai stall at the Saint Roch Market was an amazing start.
CHEF MARTHA WIGGINS
Martha Wiggins brings a passion for the culinary craft to all her dishes. Growing up in Washington, D.C., Wiggins started in the industry at local deli Pumpernickels at 15 years old. Here she found her passion for professional cooking. At age 20, she moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts and attended a culinary arts program while also advancing her culinary experience in several fine-dining establishments.
In 2010, Wiggins came to New Orleans and joined the staff of Sylvain as the sous chef to executive chef Alex Harrell. In October 2014, Wiggins took over as executive chef at Sylvain. As executive chef at Sylvain, her modern gastropub fare landed her on The Times-Picayune’s list of Chefs to Watch 2015, Gambit’s 2015 Emerging Chefs list, and her holiday cocktail snacks were featured on the cover of Food & Wine’s December 2015 issue. Her work at Sylvain garnered attention from the James Beard Foundation.
CHEF PRINCE LOBO
The charismatic Prince Lobo is one of the youngest award-winning small business owners, chefs and winemakers in New Orleans, LA. Lobo serves as the General Manager of Addis NOLA, a highly rated and recognized Ethiopian Restaurant founded by his mother, Dr. Biruk Alemayehu, that he now runs with his father Dr. Jaime Lobo. He is the creator of their very own specialty honey wine, The Prince’s Tej and the curator of their legendary Ethiopian Coffee Roasting Ceremony. Featured in Ebony, Essence Magazine, Essence Fest, Honeyland Fest and the New York Times, Prince is an inspirational force that is changing how we understand African food, wine, and culture.
CHEF KaITLIN GUERIN
Kaitlin Guerin is a New Orleans-based Pastry Chef with an artistic dance background and an affinity for creativity and science. After attending the pastry program at The Culinary Institute of America and working in Michelin-star kitchens in Denmark and California, Guerin returned home to New Orleans just before the pandemic to ground herself and be closer to family.
She began her pastry pop-up, Lagniappe Baking, during the pandemic, selling exquisite yet nostalgic pastry boxes that celebrate and reconnect the black foodways of the South through local, seasonal ingredients. Lagniappe is a term used in Louisiana to mean “a little something extra.”
CHEF SHONDA CROSS
Chef Shonda Cross is the chef and owner of Chef Shonda’s Fine Dining To-Go, a welcoming space in the heart of Gentilly. As a self-taught chef, born and raised in New Orleans, flavorful food has always been an integral part of her life. Cooking in fine dining restaurants - internationally and right here at home - has shaped her passion for eclectic ingredients and unique flavors. A love for Creole, Italian, and Caribbean cuisines lay the groundwork for her mouthwatering creations.
Shonda’s passion for getting to the root of how food fuels her community is the driving force behind her new restaurant and private catering endeavors. A love of serving classic flavors that warm the soul woven with adventurous new techniques and ingredients helps Shonda take her clients on unexpected journeys. In service to the community Chef Shonda is continuously competing in charitable chef competitions and showcases, exuding what southern hospitality is all about.