This year’s owner of the Basque Culinary World Prize, which is given to chefs who make a difference in the world through gastronomy, was West African chef Fatmata Binta. The chef, who tried to explore the cuisine of the West African diaspora with her ‘Dine on a Mat’ project, was awarded an award for her work in this field.

Binta is also the head of a society called the Fulani Kitchen Foundation to support the women of the Fulani people, one of the largest nomadic tribes in West Africa, educationally, socially and economically.

Thanking the organization in a post-award statement, Binta said, “We can no longer afford to deny the full potential of women. The world needs to tap into the talent and wisdom of women. Whether the issue is food security, economic recovery or peace, the participation of women is needed now more than ever.”