WHAT THE TONGUE REMEMBERS: BENIN MEETS THE SOUTH

The Day: Tuesday, April 14th The Time: 6:00 PM The Place: Nana's 2514 University Dr, Durham, NC 27707 One Benin. Two Southern traditions. For one evening in Durham, the table becomes a place of memory, migration, and return. As the opening of What the Tongue Remembers—a week-long culinary and cultural exchange—I’m honored to welcome Michelin-starred Chef Georgiana VIOU for a collaborative dinner that moves between West Africa, Southern France, and the American South. Chef VIOU, the first Black woman to earn a Michelin star in France, brings a culinary style shaped by movement, heritage, and a deeply personal understanding of flavor. Hosted at Nana’s, this intimate gathering invites you into a multi-course menu with wine pairings crafted with care, where ingredients carry story, and each course opens another doorway into how cultures meet, shift, and continue. It’s a beautiful way to start the week, in community, around the table. And seating is intentionally limited. I have a feeling this one will stay with you. So, pull up a chair.