Selassie Atadika

Selassie Atadika is Chef and Owner of Midunu in Accra, Ghana. 

The creative force behind Midunu is Chef Selassie Atadika, who from a young age, could be found in the kitchen, grinding 'pepe', not too far from her mother's apron strings. This culinary interest, from her Ghanaian roots, has evolved through time spent and meals sampled in the US, Europe, and countless countries in all the corners of Africa. After years of self-teaching in the culinary arts, she completed course work at the Culinary Institute of America. A founding member of Trio Toque, the first nomadic restaurant in Dakar, Senegal, she has brought her innovative approach to African cuisine back home to Ghana to introduce them through Midunu, a nomadic dining concept featuring what she calls New African Cuisine.

Midunu is a culinary lifestyle company that celebrates Africa's cultural and culinary heritage, with the goal to create experiences where culture, community, and cuisine intersect. Midunu employs local, seasonal, and underutilized ingredients, including traditional grains and proteins, to deliver Africa’s bounty to the table. With an eye towards biodiversity and sustainability, it curates white-linen nomadic events, private dining, retail and lifestyle products, and a bespoke event space. 

Midunu’s Nomadic Dinners have attracted attention with diners from five continents. A favored part of the Midunu dining experience is its final course: delectable handcrafted chocolate truffles. Selassie has been sought for her thought leadership by CNN African Voices, The Financial Times, The Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR), OmVärlden, as well as mentioned in Vogue, National Geographic’s The Plate, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Ebony. 

Atadika holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a bachelor’s degree in geography modified with environmental studies from Dartmouth College. She was one of the 2017 EAT Foundation and CIA Global Top 50 Plant-Forward Chefs, a 2018 Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture Exchange fellow, and a 2019 World Restaurant Award judge.