OUR FOUNDER
When you envision someone who promotes the African culture, Arts and Humanities, Chef Marie Joe Faye is an icon that immediately pops into the mind. Chef Marie Joe Faye is a multi-talented woman, a culinary arts and nutrition educator, international celebrity chef, research chef consultant from farm to table, social and food justice advocate, an award-winning international food editor specialized in ethnic and specialty food, crops and spices, community leader, costume & jewelry designer, actress, movie critic, music, TV director & producer and humanitarian philanthropist.
Chef Marie Joe Faye was born and raised in Dakar - Senegal, West Africa, immigrated to the USA in the early 1990’s, with a unique vision to blend her African heritage, a passion in gastronomy, fashion, music, movie to create an entertainment industry that will serve not just her community but the world at large. After more than 20 years of living in the DMV area, her unique talent, creativity, originality, and multi-cultural background has made are one of the most respected and highly sort after private entrepreneur, event planner, creative director and community organizer in the international community.
In 2000, she created and produced her TV show Taste of Africa on MCT Montgomery Community Television now Montgomery Community Media in Rockville, Maryland and also produced her first fashion shows at the University of Maryland, Morgan State University. She worked on needs assessment to create a commission on African & Caribbean immigrant affairs and to choose September the African History Month. Now African Heritage Month is steadily going national.
She is a highly respected community leader, working for the betterment of life in DC Metropolitan Area through both her career and volunteer roles. She has also provided leadership to the African community over the years and has received numerous awards and early in her work as community advocate, she starts speaking and doing community work around performing, visuals, arts and issues of social justice, housing, healthcare, education, employment opportunities, immigration, creating bridges between Africans and non-Africans.
She is a former Research Chef Consultant for CAUSES University of the District of Columbia (College of Agriculture) & Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences for UDC for Ethnic and Specialty Crops Program and a leader of “African Foods in DC” School Lunch Program and worked in collaboration with Howard University’s Food Lab Science Department to standardize Ethnic Food in DC School Lunch Programs.
She was a featured Chef guest at DC Central kitchen, Speaker for “LET’S MOVE” Africa Program (African Twist –Let’s Move by First Lady Mrs. Michelle Obama) – a program that “promotes healthy eating, solving the challenge to fight childhood obesity with a generation, so that the children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams”. She has been a volunteer Culinary & Nutrition Educator at Mary’s Center – DC “Cooking Matters” (Capitol Food Bank). She is also a Food Education & Justice Advocate and the Leader of the “African Foods Path to School Lunch Program.” She was a featured speaker for the African Food Advocacy’s 57th Presidential Inauguration (President Obama) during the National Day of Service festivities. She was also a featured speaker for Ward 5, 7 and 8 “Healthy Eating: Nutrition Workshops” in Washington DC. In addition, Chef Marie Joe has been a featured speaker at Cornerstone High School for 9th to 12th grade students. She has a proven record and passion for healthy eating, solving the challenge to fight Childhood obesity and to increase protection of human health and the environment.
True to her goal of empowering communities in Senegal, US and around the World, she is engaged in community building to help make a difference and give something back to the society. She and her family started the Louis Diene Faye Foundation in her late Father’s Honor and to finish his life work as an historian, anthropologist, author, scholar and songwriter.
She is the creative director of Taste of Africa Festival, DC African Fashion Week, Ethiopian Fashion Week and the founder of Kings & Queens of Africa Lifestyle & Arts Expo. She is also the US Representative for “The Door of Return” by Scenafrik which mission aims at reconnecting the Afro descendants and the African diasporas with the continent.
Marie Joe's overall success is due to her loyal viewership and clients. She aspires to make herself more accessible by eventually releasing cookbooks, lifestyle magazines and venturing into her own line of products (spices, food, fashion, kitchen products). The first book of the series is scheduled to launch in September 2025 (African History Month).
