French chef Georgiana Viou is connecting worlds. The Michelin-starred chef is using her global spotlight to build bridges between Africa, France, and America.
She earned her Michelin star in 2023 for Rouge, her restaurant in Nîmes, France. That made her the first Black African woman chef in France to get the honor. But she is not interested in titles. What matters to her is how that star can open doors, especially for young chefs in Africa.
Georgiana / IG / Georgiana Viou, now 47, started out studying languages in Paris, not cooking. She didn’t even enter a professional kitchen until her thirties.
Fast-forward to 2023, and she is walking away with one of the most respected awards in food: a Michelin star.
Her restaurant Rouge doesn’t serve typical French dishes. Instead, it blends the Mediterranean’s freshness with spices and flavors from her home country, Benin. Her cooking is personal, bold, and clear in purpose. When she won the star, it was more than a career milestone. It told every young Black chef watching, “This is possible. You belong here, too.”
Using Her Star Power Back Home
That Michelin star wasn’t a stopping point. Viou took her growing reputation and headed straight to Benin. At the Sofitel Marina Hotel & Spa in Cotonou, she now shapes the fine-dining menu at L’Ami, a brasserie that reflects her cross-cultural style.
Her work isn’t limited to showcasing French cuisine. She draws from her surroundings, using local ingredients to reinterpret familiar recipes.
Sometimes that means giving an African staple a French edge; other times, she transforms a French favorite into something rooted in African soil. But what excites her most is teaching. In Benin, she’s opening doors for young people who want to cook professionally — sharing knowledge, nurturing confidence, and restoring pride in their craft.
Georgiana Viou Is Lighting Up America’s Food Scene
Viou’s story doesn’t end in France or Africa. She’s now making her mark in the United States, where her cross-continental collaborations are gaining attention and inspiring curiosity about what’s next.
Georgiana / IG / In New Orleans, Georgiana joined forces with Serigne Mbaye, whose restaurant Dakar NOLA is a James Beard Award winner.
Their dinner was a sold-out event that connected West African dishes with Southern soul and French technique. Together, they served akara (ata) and a version of chicken yassa that was a blend of Senegalese and French influences.
In Oakland, California, she worked with chef Dominica Rice Cisneros at Bombera, a Bib Gourmand establishment. There, they served bouillabaisse to 150 guests as part of a celebration of culinary culture.
Taking the Michelin Star Message to the Mountains
Viou didn’t stop in New Orleans and Oakland. She continued her journey, landing in places like Aspen, Colorado, and Middleburg, Virginia. In Aspen, she cooked at Mawa’s Kitchen, which is known for championing African flavors at altitude. In Virginia, she participated in the 5th Family Reunion, a significant event centered on diversity in hospitality.
Viou believes food is the key to connection. When she cooks in a new place, she brings her culture along with her. People taste something new, learn something real, and walk away with a different view of Africa.
Georgiana Viou is part of something bigger. Across the world, West African cuisine is finally getting the respect it deserves. Restaurants like Akoko and Chishuru in London have also earned Michelin stars. Viou sees this shift as powerful and long overdue.
