ABOUT ME

I come from the beautiful southern region of Brazil, a place that shares characteristics with both Germany and New Zealand. Growing up, my family's kitchen was always busy. My grandmother, who owned a large piece of land with cows, chickens, ducks, and plenty of fruit trees, cultivated a diverse array of homegrown delights. The heart of her cooking skills lay in a brick oven where she made her own bread, cakes, and roasted meats. Now at 94, my grandmother still warmly welcomes anyone who steps into her home with cake and coffee.

My other grandmother, on the other hand, lived by the beach. Summers were magical, spent on my grandfather's small fishing boat, collecting oysters and mussels, catching blue crabs, and fishing at night. The allure of these experiences lay in cooking seafood outdoors, using a recycled oil can as a fire pit. My grandpa, a master of the open flame, would steam crabs and mussels, infusing them with aromatic herbs and spices. We would gather around the fire, savoring these delicacies under the open sky.

At the age of 21, I started a new chapter, moving to California to pursue a career in modeling. This journey led me to Europe, where I continued my modeling career and developed a passion for diverse culinary traditions in Spain, Holland, Italy, and Greece. Living with people from around the globe, I absorbed various cooking techniques, eventually finding myself cooking for friends.

Returning to California after four years in Europe, I explored different jobs but always found joy in cooking for friends. In the early 2000s, my sister convinced me to attend culinary school, and I chose to move to New York City, believing it to be the ultimate destination for aspiring chefs. In 2003, I enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education, a period I consider one of the happiest times of my life. Despite not having cooked much during my upbringing, my culinary memories resurfaced, making culinary school a smooth experience.

Post-graduation, luck smiled upon me as I landed my first job at 'Cesca' alongside Food Network star Amanda Freitag. It was a familial atmosphere where some even found love. Subsequently, a twist of fate led me to Jean Georges' 'Perry Street,' which became my true culinary school. The experiences there shaped my future, and the rest, as they say, is history. Nearly two decades have passed since I embarked on this culinary journey, traversing countries and kitchens, meeting people from all walks of life. Becoming a chef has unquestionably been the best decision of my life