One Chef’s Trick for an Effortless Sunday Feast

Pierre Thiam was born and raised in Dakar and came to New York to finish college after the Senegalese government shut down its schools and universities in 1988. Instead, Thiam found a restaurant job and went on to open a Senegalese restaurant in Brooklyn, then write one of the first cookbooks to explore his country’s cuisine in English.

In his second book, Thiam reminds us that the food of Senegal is a rich and inexhaustible subject, tracing culinary lines between West Africa and the U.S., and calling attention to dishes inspired by the Vietnamese and Lebanese immigrants who've helped shape the culture. For instance, you’ll find a recipe for nems, the cool, herb-packed summer rolls, tucked between those for jollof rice and fried fish with relish.