Meet Mory Sacko, the African Man Who’s Louis Vuitton’s Star Chef

Mory Sacko, a Senegalese-Malian French chef, came to the limelight in 2019 through the Franco-Belgian culinary reality show ‘Top chef’. Since then, he has been revolutionising the cuisine industry through his African-Japanese food combination.

Although Mory, 29, did not win the top chef competition, he is a success to be reckoned with.

A humble beginning 

His enthusiasm for food dates back to when he was a young boy, as Mory Sacko was always fascinated and intrigued by Japanese cuisines.

He pursued that passion diligently, and in 2019, he passed his Brevet d’Etudes Professionnelles (BEP). He earned his Baccalauréat Professionnel (bac pro) in kitchen and culinary arts in 2011. 

Armed with the two certificates, he started working at the Hôtel du Collectionneur in Paris as a commis but later left for the Royal Monceau in 2012. There, he worked with chef Nobu Matsuhisa, a Japanese celebrity chef.

Later, he went to work at the Shangri-La with veteran chef Christophe Moret. In the third quarter of 2015, he joined the Mandarin Oriental, where he eventually rose to the position of sous-chef (second in command).

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Taking the step in his career

After years of honing his cooking skills, Mory Sacko competed in the 2019 eleventh season of the Top Chef reality show.

He became one of the audience’s favourite contestants because his natural, endearing demeanour and creative cooking style. However, following a restaurant war episode that involved him, he was eliminated from the competition.

Although he did not win the competition, he was not deterred from his vision and set new goals for himself. 

While the Top Chef show was aired, he declared his intention to launch a restaurant in Paris in 2020 and get a Michelin star, a rating system used by the red Michelin Guide to grade the quality of restaurants.

Taking the entrepreneurial route: The Louis Vuitton deal

In 2020, Mory Sacko founded his restaurant “MoSuke.” The name was coined from his first name, ‘Mory’ and ‘Yasuke’, the first non-Japanese samurai and a formerly enslaved African. 

It was launched in Paris after the formality of signing the 2020 summer menu. The restaurant is a blend of African, Japanese, and French foods.

With the milestone, he received the Gault & Millau Young Talent award. He was also listed as one of the ‘five most promising chefs in the world’ by La Liste’s ranking in 2021. The same year, he received the Young Chef Award and a Michelin star.

In June 2022, Mory Sacko, in partnership with Louis Vuitton, launched its restaurant in Saint-Tropez, France. The new restaurant has its own customised monogram: ‘Mori Sacco in Louis Vuitton.’

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