Harouna Sow, originally from Mauritania, discovered French culture through cooking after leaving Mali to take refuge in France in 2012. He discovered the culinary profession as a volunteer at Roland-Garros, where chef Alain Losbar helped him discover his calling. After stints at the Pullman Tour Eiffel and the Royal Monceau, he set up as an independent chef and caterer. He brilliantly blends West African and French flavors, particularly in his restaurant Waalo, in Paris, where he offers seasonal, plant-based and accessible cuisine.
In 2020, he became involved with Refugee Food as a volunteer, directing and training refugees as chefs. During the coronavirus crisis, he coordinated the production of over 33,000 meals for the most vulnerable. He is currently a chef trainer in the kitchens of the Cité de Refuge run by the Salvation Army, where he continues to produce over 450 meals a day for the food aid program. Harouna dreams of one day moving to Senegal to set up an organic farm and schools to promote local heritage and train a new generation of cooks.
At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in recognition of his journey and commitment, he was selected to carry the Olympic flame, symbolizing peace, hope and unity. On hearing the news over the phone, his mother told him, “My son, when you light the flame for someone, you’ll always get a reward afterwards!”.
