Flavors of My Journey: A Senegalese Immigrant's Rise in America | Chef Cisse | TEDxHarlem
In this TEDxHarlem Talk, Chef Cisse shares one powerful idea: where you start in life does not define where you can go. Thirty years ago, he arrived in America with big dreams and limited means, beginning his journey as a dishwasher. Through relentless hard work, resilience, and an unwavering belief in possibility, he built a path to owning four successful restaurants.Along the way, he confronted the realities of immigration, cultural adaptation, and entrepreneurship—discovering that perseverance and community can turn obstacles into opportunities. His story is proof that the American dream isn’t just a concept—it’s a choice to keep moving forward, no matter how humble the beginning.Senegalese-born Chef Elhadji “Cisse” is the visionary behind Ponty Bistro, Renaissance Harlem, Harlem Café, and the new PB Brasserie in Harlem. Since moving to the U.S. in 1995, he’s worked in Michelin-starred kitchens like Daniel and Vong, blending African spices with classic French techniques. Chef Cisse opened his first restaurant in 2008, bringing Pan-African, French, and Mediterranean flavors to New York. His newest venture, PB Brasserie, is a 4,500 sq. ft. culinary destination near the Apollo Theater. A finalist on Chopped and featured by ABC News and the James Beard Foundation, Cisse continues to showcase African cuisine with elegance and innovation. Through each dish, he honors his heritage and Harlem’s cultural legacy. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 3:36Don't Worry, Be Happy | Fiona Strong | TEDxKids@ElCajonWorrying can feel like a storm inside your head, but it doesn’t have to control your life. In this heartfelt TEDx talk, Fiona Strong shares her personal experience with worry and anxiety as a kid, and the simple ways she learns to manage those feelings every day. From talking to friends or pets, to doing what she loves, Fiona shows us how to face worry with courage and kindness, especially when it feels overwhelming.This student developed their talk as part of the TED-Ed Student Talk Program in Cajon Valley Union School District. The purpose of TEDxKidsElCajon is to help develop and amplify student voices in our community to empower our youth by creating space for them to share their ideas, bringing awareness to their experiences, and advocating their perspectives. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.tedxkidselcajon.com and https://www.ted.com/tedx Fiona is a 5th grade student in Cajon Valley Union School District. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 4:00Language as the Key to Connection | Emily Jibro | TEDxKids@ElCajonWhat if you had a superpower that could connect you to millions of people around the world? In this inspiring TEDx talk, Emily Jibro shares how speaking multiple languages is more than just communication. It’s a way to unlock new worlds, strengthen your brain, and build bridges between cultures. From her personal journey learning English alongside her native Chaldean, to translating for others, Emily shows us why embracing language is embracing connection.This student developed their talk as part of the TED-Ed Student Talk Program in Cajon Valley Union School District. The purpose of TEDxKidsElCajon is to help develop and amplify student voices in our community to empower our youth by creating space for them to share their ideas, bringing awareness to their experiences, and advocating their perspectives. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.tedxkidselcajon.com and https://www.ted.com/tedx Emily is a 5th grade student in Cajon Valley Union School District. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 3:44We Don't Need Scores for That | Khadija Amiree | TEDxKids@ElCajonIn this heartfelt and insightful talk, 5th grader Khadija Amiree shares her perspective on the pressure of test scores and why they don’t define a student’s worth or success. Drawing from her own experiences with anxiety and burnout, Khadija challenges us to rethink how we measure success, beyond grades and standardized tests. She highlights the importance of creativity, perseverance, happiness, and real-world learning opportunities like BizTown.Join Khadija in celebrating all the different kinds of intelligence and talents that make each student unique. Let’s empower kids and parents to focus on growth, support, and joy in learning - not just test results.This student developed their talk as part of the TED-Ed Student Talk Program in Cajon Valley Union School District. The purpose of TEDxKidsElCajon is to help develop and amplify student voices in our community to empower our youth by creating space for them to share their ideas, bringing awareness to their experiences, and advocating their perspectives. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.tedxkidselcajon.com and https://www.ted.com/tedx Khadija is a 5th grade student in Cajon Valley Union School District. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 5:22A Silent Dream of a Better Life | Kaitlyn Reyes Bustamonte | TEDxKids@ElCajonIn this powerful and personal TEDx talk, Kaitlyn Reyes Bustamante shares the real-life impact of mass deportation on Latino communities, especially the fear it creates for kids and families striving for a better life in the U.S. Drawing from her own experiences growing up in a close-knit Latino neighborhood, Kaitlyn highlights the vital roles immigrants play in our economy and society, and why deportation threatens more than just individuals, it threatens our shared future.The purpose of TEDxKidsElCajon is to help develop and amplify student voices in our community to empower our youth by creating space for them to share their ideas, bringing awareness to their experiences, and advocating their perspectives. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.tedxkidselcajon.com and https://www.ted.com/tedx Kaitlyn is a 9th grade student in Grossmont Union School District. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 10:25Automate Your Life With AI & Coding and 10x Your Ambition and Human Connections | YK Sugi | TEDxCSTUCan AI and coding, even without prior experience, truly 10x your ambition and deepen human connections? YK Sugi of CS Dojo believes so. In this eye-opening TEDx talk, he demystifies AI, moving beyond basic Q&A to reveal its power as a data processor, translator, writing partner, and coding assistant. YK shares practical techniques anyone can use to automate tedious tasks—even the process of automation itself—ultimately freeing you to focus on what truly matters and pursue goals you once thought out of reach.Event: TEDxCSTU Date: May 18th, 2025 Location: California Science & Technology University (CSTU) Website: https://www.cstu.edu?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tedx2025&utm_term=yk_sugiSpeaker: YK Sugi Learn more about the speaker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykdojo/ https://x.com/ykdojo Speaker’s Website: https://www.csdojo.io/ Speaker’s channel: https://youtube.com/csdojoOrganizer: Leni Jin, Organizer of TEDxCSTU Behind the scenes of TEDxCSTU: Stories & notes: https://lenijin.com/tedx More about the organizer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenijin/ Organizer's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Leni_JinChapters (Timestamps): 0:00 - Automate your life with AI 0:32 - My journey with AI, coding, and automation 1:40 - #1: A statistical data processing machine 3:09 - #2: A great translator 3:47 - #3: A great multi-modal translator 4:48 - #4: A great writing assistant 5:55 - #5: A great coding assistant 6:20 - #6: Combining AI aspects for powerful results 7:13 - #7: Automate the process of automation itself 8:47 - What to do with all this automation? 9:21 - Conclusion & Final MessagePlease note: This talk was recorded at TEDxCSTU, an independently organized TEDx event hosted at California Science and Technology University under a license from TED. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent those of TEDxCSTU, the university, or TED.#AI #Automation #TEDx #Productivity #FutureOfWork #AICoding #LifeHacks #NoCode #PersonalDevelopment #LLMs #HumanConnection #TEDxCSTU2025 Developer Experience Manager at Eventual. Also a creator of an open source coding assistant with 1200 stars on GitHub. Founder of CS Dojo, a programming education YouTube channel with 1.9M+ subscribers. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 3:46Manifest | SYLAS - The Band | TEDxBritishSchoolManilaIn this special performance. SYLAS perform their track Manifest SYLAS is the combo music project comprised of Filipina Romanian singer-songwriter Stephanie Belle and Irish producer/instrumentalist Patrick Campbell, dishing out a mesh of electronic alternative pop sounds. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
