On Saturday, November 9, 2024, the esplanade of the Grand Théâtre national de Dakar hosted an event full of flavors and diversity: the first edition of the Dakar Grill Festival. This initiative aims to strengthen economic and cultural ties between Senegal and Ivory Coast, by highlighting gastronomy as a vector of unity.
Under a bright sun, an enthusiastic audience, made up of various nationalities residing in Senegal, took the opportunity to discover and savor a variety of grilled meats, ranging from meats (cattle, sheep, goats) to seafood (fish, shellfish). , oysters) through poultry (pigeons, quails, partridges).
The general commissioner of the Abidjan Grill Festival, Mr. Eric Atta, expressed his satisfaction with the success of this event. “After 17 editions in Abidjan, today we are launching the first edition of the Dakar Grill Festival in Dakar, and we are satisfied with the progress. Nearly 5,000 visitors of different nationalities took part in this cultural event,” he said.
Mr. Atta also highlights the economic impact of this event, noting that the supply of animal and fishery resources for the festival directly contributes to local economic development.
Ms. Maguette Diop, director of Thelma Business School and co-organizer of the event, shared the vision of the festival: “The objectives of the festival are multiple. It is first of all a question of creating this bridge between Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal and of strengthening the links between the two peoples. The festival is also a showcase of our culinary know-how, since Senegal is known for its street food which we wanted to expose to the world. »
Co-organized by Thelma and the Ivorian firm Advantages Conseil, the Dakar Grill Festival brought together around twenty restaurateurs from Dakar and Abidjan, offering a unique culinary experience. From Senegalese street food to Ivorian flavors, visitors were able to explore the diversity and richness of West African gastronomy.
This first edition, in addition to celebrating flavors, lays the foundations for collaboration between Senegal and Ivory Coast, making gastronomy a powerful lever for cultural and economic rapprochement.
