Behind the Apron with Chef Selasie Dotse
We caught up with Michelin-trained Chef Selasie Dotse to hear about their culinary journey and the flavors, cravings, and traditions that shape how they cook. Here's what they wanted you to know:
Everyone thinks Ghanaian food is just jollof rice, waakye, and fufu. But Food from home is more than what you see on social media.
What's a cuisine you could eat every day — and is it the same one you love to cook?
Chef Selasie: I could eat Mexican food every day. I love tacos, and I love using a tortilla as a vessel. So even if I'm not always cooking Mexican food directly, I'm often using a Mexican ingredient every day.
What's an ingredient or food fact that still catches you off guard?
Chef Selasie: I like a challenge. If I don't know how to do something, I'll figure it out or look it up. Bread's a good example. I haven't done bread work since culinary school, but I taught myself and worked alongside bakers who know it well. There's a lot I've learned on my own, not mastered, but gotten better at with people who specialize in it.
What's one flavor, technique, or ingredient from your background you wish more people understood?
Chef Selasie: Everyone thinks Ghanaian food is just jollof rice, waakye, and fufu. But there are different ethnic groups within Ghana, and we eat more than just those dishes. For example, growing up, I also ate light soup and okra soup. Food from home is more than what you see on social media.
Fill in the blank: A great host always _______.
Chef Selasie: A great host always leaves an impression. People should leave feeling like, "Wow, I really want to do that again," or "I can't wait to come back." You should leave a real experience for your guests.
What role do your personal cravings play in how you develop a menu?
Chef Selasie: Everything else I've ever craved, I've found a way to put a homemade version of it on a menu. I've got a big sweet tooth, so I make my own candy. I've created house-made chips, pretzels, cheese and crackers, and candies at the end of a meal.
Chef Selasie Dotse returned to the DC Supper Club with e la ade Test Kitchen in June 2026. Spread the love and follow their story on Instagram @sdotse89 @elade_tk