The 2026 West Africa Food Festival (WAFFEST) ended on a high note in The Gambia, with the host country winning the Heritage Jollof Rice and Chef of the Year titles, among other awards.
The Gambia also secured first place in the Bread Bakery and Barbecue (BBQ) categories, reaffirming its culinary strength at the week-long festival held from October 15 to 21.
The eighth edition was hosted through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in collaboration with the Gambia Chefs Association and development partners. It brought together chefs and culinary professionals from across Africa to celebrate West African cuisine, heritage and innovation.
Team Gambia successfully defended its 2025 Heritage Jollof Rice title, finishing ahead of Liberia in second and Burkina Faso in third.
In Chef of the Year, The Gambia claimed first place, followed by Sierra Leone second and Nigeria third.
The host country also took first in Bread Bakery, while Nigeria finished second and Ghana third. In BBQ, The Gambia again emerged victorious, with Nigeria second and Liberia third.
In the Students Challenge, Burkina Faso secured first place, while YMCA and the Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI), both representing The Gambia, finished second and third respectively.
Sierra Leone won the Three-Tier Cake category, followed by Ghana second and Liberia third.
The results highlighted the competitive strength of participating countries and the growing potential of West African culinary traditions for tourism, skills development and regional cooperation.
Speaking at the gala dinner marking the close of WAFFEST 2026, Tourism Minister Abdoulie Jobe commended organisers, participants, sponsors and volunteers for the festival's success.
He said the event provided an opportunity to enjoy local and regional cuisines, exchange ideas, build friendships and celebrate shared cultural heritage.
The minister described food as more than nourishment, but an expression of identity and heritage and a powerful force for bringing people together.
He congratulated winners and participants, noting everyone had benefited from the experience.
On behalf of President Adama Barrow, the government and people of The Gambia, Jobe thanked the Africa Chefs Alliance, Gambia Chefs Association and National Steering Committee led by Ms Ellen Johnson for delivering the festival.
He also thanked sponsors, volunteers, media and other contributors.
He said WAFFEST offered an important opportunity to strengthen tourism, create employment and showcase the region's culinary heritage internationally.
He noted Destination Gambia offers more than beaches, pointing to traditional dishes, locally produced ingredients and hospitality as attractions.
“A visitor may come to The Gambia for a beautiful sunset, but a memorable meal may be what brings them back,” he said.
Jobe encouraged hotels and restaurants to promote Gambian cuisine, source ingredients locally and support farmers, fisherfolk and culinary professionals.
He urged the Gambia Chefs Association to sustain momentum through training, mentorship, innovation and regional collaboration, assuring government support.
He called for WAFFEST to be developed beyond an annual event into a platform for investment, youth empowerment and global promotion of West African cuisine.
WAFFEST was founded by Chef Isaac Sackey through the Chefs Association of Ghana. Previous editions were held in Ghana (2018, 2019, 2022, 2025), Liberia (2021), Nigeria (2023) and Togo (2024) before The Gambia hosted the eighth edition.