Djibril Djamil Bah-Traore

Born in Togo, West Africa, Chef Jamil Djibril Bah-Traore descends from a lineage of professional chefs dating back to his great-grandfather Idriss Akpo, who was Chief of the Kotokoli in Lomé. As a child, he learned cooking from his mother Sahadat, continuing a culinary tradition passed down through generations.

After immigrating to the United States, Jamil spent over a decade in corporate America at companies including PayPal and Citibank before pursuing his passion for food. He graduated from Metropolitan Community College’s Institute for Culinary Arts and holds a Master’s in Hospitality and Restaurant Management from the University of Houston. In 2021, he founded House of Bah Foundation (formerly Eat N’ Talk Africa), where he serves as Executive Director, creating programs that elevate African cuisine and provide culturally-affirming culinary training for immigrants and refugees in Omaha, Nebraska.