Diana Tandia
Berber Street Food
Diana Tandia is the chef and owner of Berber Street Food. Originally from Mauritania in Northwest Africa, she was raised in a Berber/Fulani family with Senegalese roots. From an early age, she was inspired by watching her relatives prepare food from scratch.
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Diana Tandia is the chef and owner of Berber Street Food. Originally from Mauritania in Northwest Africa, she was raised in a Berber/Fulani family with Senegalese roots. From an early age, she was inspired by watching her relatives prepare food from scratch.
Diana moved to New York City in 2001 and, in 2006, graduated from the French Culinary Institute. She went on to work in prestigious restaurants and hotels, including Daniel Boulud, Spice Market, Mandarin Oriental, and Gramercy Tavern. Her culinary journey has taken her around the world, collaborating with renowned local chefs whose influence shaped her signature style—fresh, wholesome cuisine with global flair. In 2018, Diana opened her first restaurant, Berber Street Food, in Manhattan’s West Village.
The restaurant showcased Pan-African dishes—blended with French, Mediterranean and Asian influences. Her work has been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, the Michelin Guide, Time Out, Eater, and Plate magazine. Diana is Chef de Cuisine at Essensia Restaurant at The Palms Hotel & Spa in South Beach, where she focuses on farm-to-table cuisine and sustainability. In recognition of her commitment, she was honored with the 2024 Slow Food Snail of Approval. After closing her beloved restaurant, Diana launched Berber Street Food Catering with her new partner, Jie Gao—a former customer who shares her vision and passion for bringing Pan- African flavors to a wider audience. Jie’s path to the food world is just as inspiring. She left a fast-paced career at Morgan Stanley, transitioned to tech, and always dreamed of combining her love for food with community building. “Food was always the highlight of family time for me,” Jie says. “It’s about connection and sharing stories—and Diana’s cooking does exactly that.”
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