Discover teranga—the Senegalese spirit of hospitality—through an immersive cooking class led by Chef Astou. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn to prepare fataya—Senegal’s beloved crispy, savory hand pies—along with other traditional dishes that reflect the heart of Senegalese home cooking. Between kneading dough and filling pastries, Chef Astou will share stories from her life, her roots, and her passion for bringing people together through food.

Learn recipes from around the world alongside Sanctuary Kitchen chefs. These classes are unique, hands-on opportunities to cook authentic recipes that tell the stories of our chefs. All classes take place at The Kitchen at Q House, 197 Dixwell Avenue in New Haven. All participants will receive copies of the recipes used.

About Chef Astou: Astou is from Dakar, Senegal. In Senegal, Astou and her husband were vendors in the market selling clothes and shoes.

Astou, her husband, and her three children came to New Haven in February 2023.

Currently, Astou is a prep chef at Sanctuary Kitchen and she is so happy that her children are going to school in America.

Astou likes to eat jollof rice with fish during Ramadan. In Senegal it’s a coastal country and they eat a lot of fish.

Learn more about Sanctuary Kitchen's cooking classes at cityseed.org/cooking-classes

Contact the host of Taste of Teranga: Jollof & Joy