May
Ariani Malouf - 29/05
One of the most unique figures in Brazilian gastronomy, Ariani Malouf builds her cuisine from an encounter between worlds: the refined technique learned at Le Cordon Bleu and in kitchens in France, Italy, and Germany meets the ingredients from the biodiversity of Mato Grosso, Cerrado, Amazon, and Pantanal. At the helm of Mahalo, in Cuiabá, she also carries the Lebanese heritage from her mother, the caterer Leila Malouf, refusing any label in order to create with freedom. Her cuisine is proof that territory and repertoire, when in the right hands, produce something that doesn't need to go anywhere to be a reference.
September
Thomas Troisgros - 11/09
Fourth generation of a family that shaped French cuisine, from his grandfather Pierre, one of the creators of Nouvelle Cuisine, to his father Claude, a fundamental reference in Brazilian gastronomy, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked at establishments like Mugaritz and Arzak before putting down roots in Rio. At the helm of Toto and Oseille, in Ipanema, he develops a cuisine that dialogues with French heritage without surrendering to it, with a keen eye for the acidity and richness of Brazilian biodiversity. Thomas proves that heritage and identity don't need to exclude each other, but can coexist and reinvent themselves in the same kitchen.