Lecture & Tasting: Moroccan Cuisine with Chef Dave Patera

The Alliance is delighted to welcome MasterChef’s Dave Patera for a talk about Moroccan cuisine!

Dave is a food creator, recipe developer, the founder of online marketplace bsaha, and the force behind DinnersWithDave, a social media channel dedicated to sharing the rich heritage of the Moroccan and North African kitchen. During this special program, he’ll speak about his experience as part of Team Africa on MasterChef Global Gauntlet, his mission to show the world that Moroccan food is more than just couscous and tagine, and his inspiration: his Algerian grandmother Henriette.

The talk will be followed by a reception, where guests will have the opportunity to continue the conversation with Dave, mix and mingle with their fellow foodies and Francophiles over a complimentary glass of French wine or mint tea, and taste authentic Moroccan cuisine.

*Doors at 6:00 pm. Program at 6:30. Please enter via 54 W Chicago Ave. Please indicate any dietary restrictions when registering. Tickets are non-refundable after Wednesday, September 23—*merci pour votre compréhension.

About the Speaker

Dave Patera

Dave Patera is a culinary creator, cultural storyteller, and entrepreneur whose work explores food as a lens into history, identity, and cultural memory. He’s the creator behind DinnersWithDave and has built a social media audience of more than half a million followers through his distinctive approach to sharing the traditional foods of Morocco and North Africa.

Drawing in part from his own North African heritage, Patera researches and recreates traditional recipes while exploring the histories, communities and cultural influences behind them. His work seeks to introduce audiences to the extraordinary breadth of Moroccan & North African cuisine beyond its most familiar dishes, while preserving the context and traditions that give those foods meaning.

Patera’s connection to the Francophone world also has academic roots. He studied French & Francophone culture at Millikin University with coursework encompassing Francophone literature, North Africa, immigration, and the cultural relationship between France and the broader French-speaking world.

In 2026, Patera competed on MasterChef USA, finishing among the season’s Top 6 contestants and bringing Moroccan food & culturally rooted cooking to a national television audience. He is also the founder of bsaha, an online marketplace dedicated to making hard-to-find Moroccan and North African foods and cookware more accessible in the United States.

Before pursuing food and media full time, Patera spent almost two decades in the music industry developing marketing campaigns for internationally recognized artists. is the Chicago-based food creator behind DinnersWithDave, a social media channel dedicated to sharing the rich heritage of the Moroccan and North African kitchen. He is the founder and curator of online North African marketplace bsaha. Patera is currently a contestant on the 16th season of the American cooking competition, MasterChef Global Gauntlet.

About the Moderator

Cheryl Toman

A native Chicagoan, Cheryl Toman is currently Professor of French and the Chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Classics at the University of Alabama. Toman’s research focuses on Francophone literature and culture from Central Africa, the Sahel and the Arab world. She is the author of three monographs and numerous articles and book chapters. She has published translations of major works of African literature. In 2020, she was bestowed the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, France’s Ministry of Education’s highest honor. She is the president of the Biennale de la Langue Française, a 60-year-old professional organization for scholars in French Studies.

Getting Here

The Alliance Française de Chicago is one block from the CTA Red line stop at Chicago Avenue. Best bus routes are the 22 on Clark and the 66 on Chicago Avenue. A Divvy station is located in front of the 54 W Chicago Ave entrance.

Parking Information

$10 for 12 hours at 100 W Chestnut St. Validation is available at reception.

Photography Notice

Please be advised that students, members, and attendees at cultural events or programs may be photographed, and these images may be used for marketing purposes.