Lupita Nyong’o Instagram – Dakar is a city with over 300 miles of coastline, which contributes to the unique culture of the people who live here. Teranga has always guided the Senegalese way of life and is instilled into each generation at an early age, giving the city its super-welcoming vibe. These are just a few of the people who welcomed me with open arms during my visit… : Photo 2 – This is Isseu Diop, owner of Mburu Bakery. She is taking the French heritage of baking and infusing it with a more Senegalese perspective. Try her fonio bread, for example, or her pastries made with bissap or ditakh! : Photo 3, 4 & 5 – I met Professor Ousman Sene at the Massalikoul Jinaan Mosque, the largest mosque in West Africa. Majority of Senegalese identify as Muslim, so they turned to each other to raise the funds to build this Moroccan-inspired house of worship.  : Photo 6 – Chef Pierre Thiam is the Signature Chef at Dakar Pullman Teranga. He is a culinary ambassador who has contributed to bringing West African cuisine to the attention of the fine dining world. In Dakar, he introduced me to fonio, an ancient grain that is as easy as quinoa to cook and extremely tasty and nutritious.  : Photo 7 – Karelle Vignon-Vullierme and Olivier Vullierme are content creators of lifestyle and food content. Early in their relationship, Karelle started cooking for Olivier and decided to blog about her culinary adventures. What started out as a gesture of affection changed both their lives as they developed a following online! : Photo 8 – Malick Welli is a friend of mine and a Senegalese artist who has been working in photography and fashion for over a decade. While I was in Dakar, I was lucky enough to have a proper Senegalese meal with him and his friends of the BEST tasting thieboudienne (the national dish) I’ve ever had! : Photo 9 – I had a chance to dine with rapper Nix at La Favela. Born here in Dakar, Nix was raised speaking both French and Wolof. When he became a rap artist, it seemed natural to rap in French. But that started to feel like someone else’s language, so in 2016 he made a big change and switched to rapping in Wolof.