Senegalese chef Khadim Mane has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £50,000 towards finding permanent premises for his restaurant Little Baobab following the sudden closure in July of its host, the Africa Centre in Southwark.
Self-taught chef Khadim has developed Little Baobab over 10 years, initially as a pop-up project then as a stall at Peckham Levels before establishing itself as ‘London’s only dedicated Senegalese restaurant’.
“We had an amazing two years at the Africa Centre and had a loyal customer base and growing recognition – including winning the ‘African Food Award’ at the Be Inclusive Hospitality 2025 Awards and a glowing review from Jay Rayner in the Financial Times ‘Little Baobab – a place you want to be’.
“Unfortunately in late July this year, the Africa Centre was forced to close its doors due to financial stress. As the resident restaurant in the centre we also had to close with zero notice, which has been very tough on the business and our wider team.
“Despite this, we’re looking to turn this situation into a positive and use the opportunity to finally find our own permanent home for Little Baobab, and for Senegalese food in the UK. We have started the search for a site and have some really good options on the table, but any of these options would require significant costs upfront in order to make the space our own.”
Supporters have a range of rewards to choose from, including pre-paying for a lunch or dinner, joining a cooking class with Khadim, booking private dining for an event or simply donating, at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-little-baobab-find-its-home#
