How Dakar NOLA Champions Sustainability from Kitchen to Garden

Written by Keenan Goldsmith 

At Dakar NOLA, our story is deeply rooted in connection to West African culinary heritage, to the New Orleans community, and to the land and sea that nourish us. But beyond the flavors and storytelling on each plate, we are quietly doing something else we are proud of: honoring the planet through thoughtful conservation practices woven into every part of our restaurant.

From the kitchen to the compost, here is a closer look at how we are working to be as green as possible without compromising the bold, beautiful experience that defines Dakar.

Whole Fish Philosophy: More Than a Meal

Our menu is built around integrity, both of flavor and of ingredients. When we bring fresh fish into the kitchen, we use every part of it with purpose. Delicate fillets might take center stage in a course, but what remains such as aromatic bones, flavorful trimmings, and savory skin is transformed into a rich, housemade fish stock that becomes the heart of several of our dishes. This whole fish approach reflects a traditional West African respect for the entirety of what is given, reducing waste and deepening the depth of flavor in our cuisine.

Nothing Wasted: A Second Life for Vegetables

In our seasonal Farmer’s Market Fonio Salad, autumn shows up in both taste and tone. We recently began dehydrating vibrant tomato skins, beautiful byproducts of our sauces, and using them as a colorful, umami rich garnish. The result is a dish that not only celebrates the season but makes the most of every ingredient we touch.

Other produce remnants from this and other preparations, such as carrot tops, fennel fronds, and onion layers, are gathered and simmered into a fragrant vegetable stock. This deeply flavorful base supports a variety of our plant forward and seafood courses, ensuring nothing in the kitchen is ever left behind.

Sustainability Behind the Bar

Just like the kitchen, our bar team is committed to creativity with a conscience. Ingredients that might otherwise be discarded are given new life in the cocktail program.

Take our grilled peaches for example. After starring in our summer salad vinaigrette, the extra peaches were repurposed to craft a housemade syrup that adds a smoky sweetness to seasonal cocktails. It is a perfect example of how one ingredient can tell multiple stories throughout a single dining experience.

Similarly, citrus fruits that are zested for use in the kitchen are not thrown away. Instead, they are juiced and incorporated into fresh cocktail recipes behind the bar. This not only reduces waste but also ensures that every element of the fruit is honored and enjoyed.

Composting as Craft: A Team Effort

Sustainability is a team effort here, and we mean that literally. Each week, our sommelier Imani and general manager Keenan take on the task of recycling cardboard boxes from our deliveries, redirecting them into composting efforts that reduce our waste footprint.

Keenan also collects eggshells from our pastry chef, then bakes and grinds them into a fine powder. These calcium rich shells are added to our garden soil, improving pH balance and boosting nutrient content for healthier plants.

Eggshells are especially valuable in preventing blossom end rot in tomatoes and supporting robust root systems in herbs and leafy greens.

Growing Our Garnishes

Just behind the restaurant, our small but mighty herb garden supplies fresh apple mint, orange mint, common mint, Genovese basil, and lemon thyme. These herbs are not just garnishes. They are vibrant, flavorful highlights that connect guests to the freshness and immediacy of what is growing right outside our door. Wildflowers are grown alongside these herbs to encourage pollinators to visit, which in turn supports seed production for the following year’s harvest.

This garden is a natural extension of our kitchen philosophy: to remain rooted in the present season, to give back to the land, and to find beauty in the details.

Landscaping

To create a welcoming and ecologically responsible environment, flowering plant varieties with vibrant colors have been carefully selected for their drought tolerance. This reduces overall water consumption and supports sustainable land management practices. These plants are not only resilient in dry conditions but are also chosen for their ability to attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, as well as beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings, which help control pests naturally.

Beyond their functional benefits, these flowers provide a striking visual impact throughout the growing season, offering a colorful and inviting display that enhances the overall aesthetic of the space. Their placement has been thoughtfully designed to create a natural flow, drawing guests in and framing key features of the property.

As summer transitions into fall, seeds from these plants are harvested for spring planting. The spent plants are either potted and overwintered or composted, and the beds are refreshed with cool-season varieties that carry the garden through our mild winter months. This continuous seasonal cycle ensures year-round interest while minimizing waste.

This thoughtful integration of beauty and function reflects a strong commitment to both environmental stewardship and an exceptional guest experience.

Looking Ahead

At Dakar NOLA, sustainability is not a trend. It is tradition. It is honoring the full potential of every ingredient, using ancestral knowledge to guide modern practices, and investing in the future one step or stem at a time.

Whether it is a tangy tomato skin, a mint leaf from the garden, a grilled peach syrup in your cocktail, or a stock rich with heritage and intention, we are proud that every bite and every sip tells a bigger story. Not just of where we come from, but of where we are going.

Join us in celebrating food and drink with purpose.