Breaking with the hidebound image of French cuisine clinging to its traditions, Chef Mory Sacko ignores borders to propose an inventive cuisine that stirs French, Japanese, and African traditions together. And at age 28, he was just awarded his first Michelin star!
“Bringing different cultures together in a single plate.” That was 28-year-old Mory Sacko’s goal when he opened his first restaurant, in Paris, in September 2020. A goal that is illustrated perfectly by his restaurant’s name: Chez Mosuke. It’s a contraction of his first name plus Yasuke, the name of the one and only African samurai that Japan has ever known.
The place has been a hit since the day it opened. The concept: a totally idiosyncratic blend of influences from France, where he grew up; Japan, and Africa, whence his Malian parents hail. Mory Sacko’sinnovative creations prove once again that French cuisine can blend beautifully with culinary traditions from around the world. His creativity has been honored by the Michelin Guide, which awarded him his first star and the 2021 Young Chef Award.
“What’s on the plate is a real success, both inspired and innovative. The singular results have multi-cultural influences, and, despite the chef’s young age, they show great mastery,” according to the famous red Guide’s website
Soy Ketchup
One dish in particular really tickled the inspectors’ taste buds: beef sirloin steeped in shea butter, topped with thin slivers of crunchy peanut and served in a silky sauce with a taste of maté – like a cross between tea and coffee – that brings a slightly roasted tartness … The whole is rounded out with the scent of tamarind, a fruit that grows in India and Africa and that is appreciated for its sweet and sour flavors.
But Mory Sacko has more than one trick up his sleeve, and his Breton lobster is another mouthwatering surprise. Cooked on a Japanese barbecue, it is enhanced with a blend of African peppers and tomato miso, for a touch of sweetness.
Passionate about French cuisine and its techniques, the young chef – who became a household name during the 2020 season of the cooking show Top Chef – had earned his stripes training with some of the greatest chefs of our time, including Christophe Moret, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris; and Thierry Marx, at the Mandarin Oriental, who is highly influenced by Japanese cooking.
Forced by Covid restrictions to close MoSuke just a few months after he first opened it, Mory Sacko has been serving take-out meals that are both affordable (at just €19) and fabulously original. One item is his “MS Fish Burger:” topped with his house “misonnaise” and soy ketchup, and served with a pickled-cabbage salad with mild peppers.
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