Fatmata Binta (Sierra Leone)

Fatmata Binta draws upon her Fulani heritage to explore food cultures across West and Central Africa. Through her project, she highlights the culinary wisdom, resilience, and sustainable practices of itinerant communities, challenging static notions of identity and place. By bringing Fulani traditions into dialogue with Central Asian contexts, Binta’s work reveals unexpected resonances between nomadic ways of life and the shared histories embedded in food. One such thread is sorghum, a drought-resistant vital grain that sustains both West and Central African communities and the people of Karakalpakstan (northwestern Uzbekistan), where it is deeply woven into cooking and appears across both culinary traditions in different forms.

Fatmata Binta is the founder of Dine on a Mat, an immersive culinary experience, and the Fulani Kitchen Foundation, which promote indigenous food systems, food security, and women’s empowerment. She was awarded Best Chef Rising Star, 2021 and the Basque Culinary World Prize, 2022, making her (in 2022) the first African chef to receive that prize.

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Heritage Drinks

Bissap Essence
Hibiscus, sugarcane, cinnamon, lemongrass and mint in perfect harmony

Honey Melon Ginger Beer
Honey melon, Bold ginger, and aromatic cloves, a refreshing classic

Food

Bofrot Sliders
Crisp dough cradling slow-cooked sheep tail

Olele
Black eye peas, sweet pepper sauce

Chaka Dodo
Golden fried chaka, honey, plantain purée, basil, and mint — Fulani favorite

Nomad
Charcoal-grilled ram, suya, African nut paste, Smoked Sorhgum Jollof, kachumbari

Tea Ritual — Ceremonial Sips
Green tea, mint, honey

Signature Dessert
Baobab ice cream, gari crumble, hibiscus, mint

Price: 900.000 UZS

Attendance is strictly by reservation, as places are limited. 
Please book your table using the website or sending us an email: rsvp@bukharabiennial.uz