Morou Ouattara

Growing up on the Ivory Coast, my first inspiration in the kitchen came from my mother. Born to a large family, I would watch her create impromptu feasts for up to 40 people when extended family stopped in to visit. She combined African, French and Middle Eastern flavors, turning everyday meals into celebrations. That motivated me to develop my own signature food and innovative pairings.

There were no supermarkets near my home. My family relied directly on the land around us. When my mother wanted to season our food, she went out to the garden for fresh vegetables and herbs. She cooked our meats with the plants we raised alongside the animals. We had a refrigerator and an indoor stove, but she preferred not to use them. Meat spoiled easily in the hot climate. To make it last as long as possible, she’d stew, cure, dry, or smoke it.