Exiting the Ethnic Niche: The Transition in the Representation of Sub-Saharan African Cuisines in France

ABSTRACT: This article explores the evolution and transition of Sub-Saharan cuisines from marginalized spaces to an established cultural presence in the West. I show the progression and transformation of the perception of Sub-Saharan cuisines in France beyond their association with their socioeconomic and political history. A comparative study of gastronomic critics and articles published in the last ten years in French national newspapers allows me to demonstrate how a new generation of chefs has reclaimed their cultural heritage in order to reassert the value of the cultural production they grew up with, and battle the stereotypes associated with them.