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My name is Alle Thiam, and I am the owner of Dakar Catering Consulting Concept and Development services. I hope I will soon be sharing my unique cuisine with you and your friends, but first I would like to take this opportunity to formally introduce myself and share a bit of my life with you.


I was born in Dakar, Senegal, on the western coast of Africa. Seeking an opportunity for a better education, I immigrated to the United States in 1983. Shortly after arriving in New York, it became clear that my command of English needed some work, so I enrolled at Hunter College to polish my English. When school was not in session, I found the afternoons boring so I sought a part-time job to occupy my time and it also allowed me to afford warmer clothes to get me through the cold New York winter. Although I had never held a job in Senegal, I had unwillingly performed many kitchen chores for my Mother.

Memories of peeling garlic, starting fires, buying produce, and cleaning rice now appeared to be experiences suited for a restaurant position. I wish I known at that time that my dear mother was getting me ready for my future.

The Waverly Restaurant, in the heart of Greenwich Village offered me my first position in the restaurant business: dishwasher. Although pleased to have found a job, I sadly remembered my unhappiness when asked to do prep work for my Mother. Now, here I was not only peeling garlic, but also cleaning dishes, mopping floors, taking out trash. From those humble beginnings my career in the industry quickly progressed and after the Waverly Restaurant, I continued to hone my skills working at these following restaurants in New York.

Safari Grill / Café Marimba, 1115 Third Ave Restaurant, The Cheese Cellar, The Ballroom with Chef Felipe Rojas Lombardi, and Zarela's with Zarela Martinez.

In June of 1989, I moved to Los Angeles and worked as Sous Chef at the newly opened Tribeca in Beverly Hills. Three years later, I was promoted to Head Chef of Tribeca City Pizza, sister restaurant to the one in Beverly Hills. From there, I opened Thunder Road House on the Sunset Strip, Eclipse, Morton's, Kassbah, and Stevie Joe's.

In 1994 while still attending to my Head Chef duties, I began cooking privately for numerous celebrities and Oscar winning executives. A certified food handler and a member of the American Personal Chef Association, my style of cooking is a "Coastal type Cuisine", a style that emphasizes fresh seafood, meats and produce based on international flavors.


Drawing from my vast culinary experience and motivated by a personal commitment to excellence, I constantly strive to create an unparalleled, unforgettable dining experience for my clients. I hope to soon do the same for you. Thank you for sharing this time with me and enjoy exploring Dakarcatering.net.

Chef Alle Thiam.