Fatmata Binta Wins Basque Culinary World Prize for Nomadic Fulani Cuisine

Fatmata Binta, a Sierra Leonean chef born in 1980, has won the 2022 Basque Culinary World Prize, marking the first time the award has gone to Africa. The prize, established in 2016 by the Basque Culinary Center in San Sebastian, awards €100,000 to fund a project with positive social impact. Binta's Fulani Kitchen Foundation supports women and girls across Fulani regions, addressing social and educational needs while transforming ingredients like fonio—a drought-resistant, nutritious cereal—into sources of income and food security. Over 300 families in 12 communities across 4 regions of Ghana benefit from the foundation. Her Dine on a Mat project, a pop-up restaurant launched in 2018 across three continents, celebrates nomadic Fulani culinary traditions and reinvests all proceeds into the community. Binta, who previously earned a Rising Star award at the Best Chef Awards 2021, emphasized the importance of empowering women, stating, 'We can no longer afford to disconnect from the potential of women.' The prize recognizes the preservation of gastronomic heritage as a form of emancipation, particularly for the matriarchal Fulani society.