Chef Christian Abégan’s love for cooking began in the vibrant culinary setting of his childhood in Cameroon, West Africa. Growing up in a large family with six siblings where food was central to family life, Abégan fondly remembers lunches as significant moments of connection. His parents, a parliamentarian father, and a bank-working mother, fostered a culture of mindful eating—strictly adhering to balanced, diverse meals that reflected their complete health and wellness values.
“Lunch was a very special part of the day when our parents would spend a little time with each child, talking about what we’d been learning at school. They were also very attentive to what we were supposed to eat throughout the week.” Abégan explains. “Everything we ate came from the farmers without chemicals.”
Abégan was deeply inspired by the “perfumes” and the smell of the foods as he walked down the road from school toward his home. Inside, the women would cook for as many as 30 people, including cousins and extended family. “I remember the aroma of cooked rice and the distinctive fragrance of cassava leaves,” he recalls, visualizing the sensory experience that sparked his passion for food.
Despite societal expectations at the time, which discouraged boys from partaking in cooking, Abégan was captivated. His curiosity led him to find his way into the kitchen and learn the art of cooking, primarily from his aunt, who shared treasured recipes, spices, and techniques with the future chef. He absorbed not only the “how” of cooking but also the “why”—a philosophy deeply rooted in tradition and love. Abégan’s aunt taught him that food is not just sustenance but also a way to connect with others and preserve cultural heritage.
The Philosophy Behind Abégan’s Cooking
Cooking for Chef Abégan is more than just preparing a meal; it is an act of love, a way to forge connections, and a form of self-expression. “You spend hours preparing a meal that someone will eat in a matter of minutes, and you are giving a part of yourself to the food that will go into yours or someone else’s body. I believe this act requires love, or you are not really cooking.”
His philosophy is grounded in the idea that every ingredient has a “DNA”—a unique quality that tells its own story. “When you cook cassava leaves, for example, you have one or two hours on low fire, and the cassava leaves will give you a unique perfume, a special fragrance that is very concentrated. I call this the DNA. It is the DNA of the recipe, the DNA of the food, the DNA of the history of this food. This is what I am always searching for.”
This perspective is particularly evident in how he approaches African cuisine. By combining traditional African cooking methods with the elegance of French culinary techniques he learned at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Abégan creates dishes that honor cultural heritage while pushing the boundaries of creativity. “Studying in France forced me to change my mindset because I had to adapt African cuisines using more familiar French ingredients, which led me to create something completely new,” he explains.
Abégan found this experience invaluable because he believes that this combination of traditional African cuisine with other local ingredients can be a bridge to introducing more people to the culture and history of African food.
Advocating for African Gastronomy
Abégan has made it his mission to elevate African cuisine globally. He advocates for greater recognition of the diversity within African food culture, rejecting the monolithic perception often associated with the continent’s cuisine. “You know, French gastronomy has a very standardized, global food system, and I found myself thinking we should have the same possibility to export and make our food in Africa more recognizable and appreciated in other countries—and within Africa,” states Abégan.
Through masterclasses, culinary events, and partnerships with chefs worldwide, Abégan educates audiences on the richness of African flavors and techniques. His goal is not only to bring African gastronomy to the forefront but also to show how it can seamlessly integrate with modern and global culinary trends. “When we had to present our recipes at university, my teachers often said, ‘I’ve never had this before,’ and it felt like this was food for the future,” he explains. “We need to show how our traditional cuisines and recipes are essential and wonderful, of course, but the presentation should be unique for people unfamiliar with our food as the other gastronomic principle styles in the world have done.”
Enter Fonio—A Grain for the Future
Among the many African ingredients Abégan champions, fonio, a tiny yet mighty cereal, holds a special place in his heart. Native to West Africa, fonio is not only packed with nutritional benefits but is also highly sustainable—it grows quickly, uses minimal water, and thrives in challenging climates.
“I call fonio ‘The Queen’ or ‘The Empress’ of cereals because she is a queen. She is special,” Abégan proclaims. “For me, it is something so intense and a grace of the Lord that we have such a tiny grain with so many benefits that we need.” He continues, “We have to consider the climate problems we now face in the world and that children are dying because they don’t have food. Fonio can help us solve these problems if we teach people how to cook, process the grain, and earn a living from farming it.”
Yet, to his final point, promoting fonio comes with its challenges. Many people, even across Africa, are unfamiliar with the grain and how to cook it, which has limited the demand for fonio locally and internationally. “Africa is 54 countries, but fonio is only really known in the regions where it is traditionally grown,” Abégan explains. To overcome this, he creates simple, accessible recipes and teaches people how to incorporate fonio into everyday meals.
Educating Through Action
Abégan doesn’t stop at being an advocate; he is a hands-on educator. From organizing masterclasses and events to collaborating with other chefs and institutions, he ensures that both culinary professionals and the general public learn the value and potential of fonio. “Education is key,” says Abégan. “We need to teach people not just what fonio is but how to use it in ways that fit their cooking styles. People are smart, and once they understand fonio, they will use it.”
One such event that Abégan champions and has been leading since 2006 is Semaine de la Gastronomie Africaine (African Gastronomy Week) by L’Arche Culinaire Africaine in Paris, with Terra Ingredients joining as a sponsor for one of their most recent editions this past November. It is precisely the type of work that we believe needs to be done to educate everyone, from food brands, restaurateurs, chefs, and consumers, about fonio for the grain to truly make a difference in global food security in the future. Both local chefs and others from across Europe traveled to Paris for the event, allowing them to learn about and experience fonio either for the first time or in a new way. “Most of the people at the event knew nothing about fonio and were learning about it for the first time,” states Abégan.
The in-person event featured a large dinner where fonio was the main focus, with chefs having to incorporate fonio into every course of the dinner, from starters to desserts. Additionally, Chef Abégan led online masterclasses, teaching attendees how to prepare fonio easily, no matter where they were joining from. However, this came with its own challenges.
“I spent three or four months researching the simplest way to prepare fonio to make it applicable for everyone in the masterclass because people in different parts of Africa, for example, will not use fonio in certain recipes,” he explains. “Eventually, I discovered that the best way to teach people how to cook fonio in the online masterclass was to steam it for roughly 40 minutes, where it will expand like rice, and then you can add it to sauces, salads, and essentially any dish. You do not need to be a chef to understand this, which makes it easy for everyone to prepare and use in their own way.”
Abégan says that November’s event was a big success but that many more teachings and gatherings are required to continue growing the knowledge around fonio. He acknowledges that there is still much work to be done, even within Africa, where fonio is still not a universally known cereal and is often less favorable among locals than rice that has to be imported from India.
Looking Ahead
Abégan envisions a future where African gastronomy is celebrated worldwide, with fonio as a staple ingredient in kitchens across the globe. He remains optimistic about the growing interest in African cuisine and calls on stakeholders—governments, private companies, and consumers—to support this movement. “The work that has been done in Senegal, for example, is really great, with the fonio processing plant in Dakar and more farmers starting to grow it there, but we have to develop fonio everywhere,” he states. “It requires such little water to grow, yet it has so many vitamins. I think if we have the support and continue to improve the communication around fonio, in two or three years, we will have something really special.”
Chef Abégan also believes fonio offers an economic outlet for many people in Africa who have no other outlet to earn money in their villages, allowing them to build stronger communities and keep the young people from fleeing elsewhere. “Due to the richness of fonio, it offers a solution for people. It is a solution for villages and farmers, allowing them to earn more money from their land by planting and selling fonio in areas that are currently fallow,” he explains. “This way, people can make a living without sending their kids to die in the sea trying to reach Europe for a better life.”
One of the key factors currently holding fonio back from widespread adoption is that it costs more than rice to purchase, primarily due to the relatively small quantities that exist in the international market and the limited demand for it. Abégan says that with more education and more ways to use fonio, including as a gluten-free flour substitute for cakes, breads, and cookies, scaling the demand and production will make fonio cheaper for everyone involved.
However, he reiterates that significant support is required to achieve this. “At least two or three times yearly, we must host large events promoting fonio. Not only in Paris but elsewhere in Europe and beyond,” he states. “We should have one in England, Switzerland, Italy, etc. We need to invite retailers and chefs and share everything we can about fonio, and then I believe we will have something interesting.”
