An Evening at the Table with Chef Adé Carrena

Beninese Cooking Demonstration, Guided Participation & Diaspora Storytelling

Saturday, January 24 | 6:00-8:30 PM

Location: Coastal Table and Tales, 408A Bull Street

Spend a slow Saturday evening with Chef Adé Carrena for an immersive cooking demonstration that unfolds from late afternoon into evening. This experience blends live Beninese cooking, cultural storytelling, and moments of guided guest participation—without the pressure of a full hands-on class.

Over 2.5 hours, Chef Adé prepares dishes rooted in Beninese tradition and carried forward through the diaspora. As she cooks, guests are invited—optionally and in small ways—to assist with simple tasks, ask questions, and engage directly with the process. The emphasis is on learning through observation, tasting, and conversation.

Between dishes, Chef Adé shares her personal journey: returning to Benin after time away, reconnecting with its foodways, carrying those flavors across borders and into the kitchens she cooks in now, and how that path led to her Chopped! win. The result is an intimate, conversational evening designed for people who want to be close to the food, the stories, and the craft.

What to Expect

• Live Beninese cooking demonstration with guided guest participation
• Multiple tastings as dishes and components are prepared
• Cultural storytelling around Beninese cuisine and cooking the diaspora
• Open conversation and Q&A throughout the evening

Seats are limited. This is a deliberate, unhurried Saturday evening—part demonstration, part shared table—where learning happens by watching, tasting, and doing just a little.