Binta N’Daw Young is an entrepreneur, but she’s also a chef. Charlestonians will soon have a first-hand look at her work as both.
Nafi’s Originals, the West African condiment company she launched with her mother in New York City, is moving its production to Charleston. This spring, N’Daw Young will open an African restaurant called Bintü Atelier in downtown Charleston.
Born in Saint-Louis, Senegal, N’Daw Young plans to blend Senegalese recipes with food from across the African continent at the 8-D Line St. space where Dos Taqueria and Eastside Bagel previously served.
Given the immense influence descendants of West Africans brought to South Carolina as slaves have had on the Lowcountry’s cuisine, Bintü Atelier will explore some of the dishes that made Charleston the well known food city it is today.
N’Daw Young (left) speaks at a Charleston Wine + Food Festival event hosted by Butcher & Bee in Charleston. Parker Milner/Staff
“I want to show the connection that we all have in a positive way,” N’Daw Young said. Her menu will change frequently, with African dishes like thieboudienne showcasing the cuisine of her home country.
When she tastes red rice in Charleston, N’Daw Young is reminded of thieboudienne, the one-pot fish-and-rice platter that earned a spot on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list in 2021. Translating to “fish with rice,” it is considered by many to be the national dish of Senegal.
Poisson yassa — fish cooked with caramelized onions, mustard seeds and lime — and soupe kandja are two other West African dishes that will appear on Bintü Atelier’s menu.
Atelier, meaning workshop or studio, isn’t normally a word associated with a restaurant, but it’s a fitting descriptor for Bintü Atelier. N’Daw Young will feature Nafi’s Originals products like the spicy ginger lemongrass condiment and African peanut sauce in her cooking, while also inviting other restaurant and pop-up chefs into her kitchen. Her goal is to present dishes from countries that may or may not surround Senegal, showcasing similarities between global cuisines.
Bintü Atelier will be a place for testing recipes and discussing food in a small group — there is only space for 10 to 12 diners. Set to open in April, the restaurant will serve guests at set dinner and brunch seatings Friday through Sunday, though days and hours will likely expand in the future.
Smoky cumin lamb stew with eggplant and chickpea crepes. Tracey Young/Provided
Bintü Atelier’s opening is coming at a time when African chefs are sharing their culinary heritage at new pop-ups and fine dining restaurants across the U.S. Senegal-born chef and 2023 Charleston Wine + Food Festival attendee Pierre Thiam recently said that he has witnessed a heightened awareness of West Africa’s culinary contributions among diners.
Those efforts continue to take shape in Charleston. Bintü Atelier will contribute to that conversation.
N’Daw Young’s Nafi’s Originals condiments and sauces are produced and packaged in New York City, but that production will soon be moved to Charleston. They are currently sold at Huriyali Gardens at 401 Huger St. in downtown Charleston.
For more information, visit nafisoriginals.com.
