Fatmata Binta

FAO Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa | Founder, Fulani Kitchen Foundation | Chef,
Dine On A Mat

Chef Fatmata Binta is an award-winning chef, culinary innovator, and cultural ambassador whose work bridges tradition, sustainability, and social impact. Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, to first-generation Fulani parents of Guinean descent, Binta draws inspiration from her nomadic roots as part of one of West and Central Africa’s largest migratory communities.

She is the founder of the Fulani Kitchen Foundation, dedicated to empowering women in rural West Africa through access to resources, training, and tools for scaling indigenous food systems, especially around fonio, a climate-resilient ancient grain she champions.

Binta is the first African to receive the prestigious Basque Culinary World Prize (2022), a global recognition of chefs using gastronomy as a force for change. She was also named Best Chef Rising Star in 2021. Her signature immersive dining initiative, “Dine on a Mat,” has brought Fulani cuisine and storytelling to audiences around the world.

On World Food Day 2025, Chef Binta was officially designated as FAO Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, recognizing her tireless advocacy for sustainable food systems, indigenous knowledge, and rural community empowerment. “This role means standing at the intersection of culture, food, and policy,
advocating for Africa’s forgotten foods, uplifting the matriarchs of our food systems, and ensuring rural communities are heard,” Binta says. “With FAO, I am committed to championing indigenous knowledge, advancing food security, and working toward a just and sustainable future for all.”

Through her collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), she launched the Global Chef’s Challenge to promote the use of traditional grains such as millets. In Accra, her Fonio Campaign challenges restaurants to creatively incorporate fonio into their menus.

From 2023 to 2024, Chef Binta led a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) in partnership with FAO, training fonio farmers in sustainable cultivation and post-harvest practices to increase yields, reduce labor, and strengthen local supply chains. Her work has been featured by global platforms including Bloomberg, which profiled her mission to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and food-secure future for Africa and beyond.