I'm a foodie at heart. I never say no to good company over a meal.
I love travelling. USA will always be my first choice of destination.
Bourdain addicted.
Food & Travel Consultancy /
Communication, Marketing
& Public Relations.
Food writer for hobby.
It still feels like a very bad dream waking up to those frantic notifications dropping in on my phone screen. Drinking cold coffee and chain smoking with tears running down my face while seating in my garden in Tuscany. That was all I could do all day.
I care and carry your legacy with me.
My forever respect.
You know, sometimes I wonder if I would have gotten that interview at the opening of your Asian Market project.
Sounds corny and I image you would laugh at me reading these words. Or not.
He considers himself a bloomer and got to fame in his early thirties, competing with a great number of young influencers around.
“I knew I had to put 10 years of work into five years because I’d be competing with kids who were 23 who were way funnier and way better. But I had one thing they didn’t: perspective.”
For all the late bloomers!!! It’s never too late!!
Kareem Rahma – FOR THE GUARDIAN US, November 2024
He’s super well know for his @subwaytakes where he interviews form random to famous people. With the most unexpected and witty conversations during a metro ride.
He also has ‘Keep the meter running’ where he has conversations with taxi drivers, most about their immigrant culture and they normally end up having a meal somewhere. Last but not least, SubwayTakes has its own podcast as well.
In a world where cultural differences are at a very delicate level, Kareem has the talent to blend intelligent sense of humor with some serious points.
So here we have actually quite a few suggestions in one post: a cool Instagram account (or two actually), local NY food places and a podcast to keep you company while walking on your treadmill or at the park or simply chilling at the couch.
Actually what do you normally do while listening to a podcast? Here’s a poll I shall doing soon.
Anyways, hope you enjoy Kareem’s work as much as I do.
In 2025 the 10th anniversary of the Netflix series “Chef’s Table” is being celebrated with a new season titled “Chef’s Table: Legends”. This season, released on April 28th, focuses on the lives and work of four culinary icons: Jamie Oliver, José Andrés,Alice Waters, and Thomas Keller. The season is a mix of celebration and a continuation of the show’s focus on the artistry and passion of chefs.
Each one of them telling their story, how it all started, the high and lows and their profession, everyday challenges.
Jamie’s episode hits close to my heart as I was living in London right at the start of “The Naked Chef”. Every Tuesday, prime time on ITV and it became a weekly gathering with out friends with snacks and wine. I remember vividly seeing it all coming to life from that shy guy with his tiny apartment and his then girlfriend Jools to becoming this phenomenon that changed the way Britons would enjoy a good meal. And that was April 1999…just the beginning.
Jamie Oliver
He personified a societal change.
Former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair
José Andrés with his absolute genuine Spanish heart shares his stories in between marvelous takes of cooking and eating with friends and his staff. Most of the episode he’s wearing a very subtle political statement t-shirt saying “Immigrants Feed America“.
Life starts at the edge of your comfort zone.
From that navy guy from Asturias, after studying and working around Barcelona and getting his proper first job with Ferran Adrià at El Bulli. DC was his next stop and he just couldn’t stop. The world was his oyster.
I want food to be the solution.
José Andrés
His most audacious yet human project is World Central Kitchen, where teams from every corner of the world made of volunteer to help with humanitarian aid at war zones and places affected by natural disasters.
Thomas Keller gives a more serious tone to the documentary being a very reserved person he is, but nothing takes away how mesmerizing it is to see how The Fresh Laundry came to life in between so many failures during the beginning of his career. Thirty years of one restaurant and never loosing its magnificent profile is aa merit for a few. That’s not to mention Per Se, a more recent of his creations within his Group.
Thomas Keller
To end in gracious style the documentary has the one and only, Alice Waters.
Alice Waters
One of my favorite lady in the food world. The most quintessential, genuine and real as it can be. She does what she believes in her heart. And that is all inside that precious historic gem in Berkley, California, called Chez Panisse. As Samin Nosrat wisely say, Alice Waters brought the concept of ‘Farm to Table’ to reality worldwide. Her most precious and proud project is called Edible School Yard where children across the States have access to gardening and eating fresh organic fruits and veggies, cultivated by them.
Chef’s Table – LEGENDS
The photography of all 4 episodes are a masterpiece of food photography in cinematography. Soundtrack brings you to laughs, happy tears.
Worth every minute! You might get a tad peckish too with all those mouthwatering dishes.
This week it was time for Brazil to have its stars shining in the world of culinary.
Since Michelin made their return last year after suspending the awards a few years ago, Brazil is back in the map represented by its two main capitals of restaurants, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Last year they introduced the Green Star, to award the restaurants that are working with special attention to sustainability and tenability.
They are A Casa do Porco by Chef Jefferson Rueda, TUJU by Chef Ivan Ralston and Corrutela by Chef César Costa.
But Michelin is not only made of its star recognition. It is important to remember that The Michelin Guide also highlights other restaurants that deserve a place in the selection for the quality of their cuisine, regardless of style.
In both Rio and São Paulo, the number of establishments continues to grow. With 12 new additions this year, the total is now 84 restaurants: 54 in São Paulo and 30 in Rio de Janeiro.
Monique has spent over a decade in the culinary and hospitality industries at places like: Balthazar Bakery, Liddabit Sweets, and Russ & Daughters. She loves cooking, refining silly snack opinions, and devouring as many foods and experiences as possible to earn the title of “The Eatinist.” Monique lives in Jackson Heights, Queens and enjoys spending way too much money on live music, taking pictures of sunsets in the neighborhood, and eating ice cream for breakfast.
She is on all social media platforms but Insta is her most active one. Where she also shares her beauty moments like freshly done out of nail salon, new hairdo, her cat sitting moments just to mention a few. Her kind human self.
I also was obsessed with all of the cooking shows on public television! Right after Sesame Street and Mr Rogers were done for the morning, I would watch Julia Child, Martin Yan, Mary Ann Esposito, Nathalie Dupree, Cooking Secrets of the CIA – pretty much anything having to do with cooking
Oh and we now share the passion for some series, especially Severance which she got me totally hooked on. So many messages we’ve exchanged over the second season. (more laughs!!)
Thank you Monique for accepting to share your Kitchen Story.
1. What is the importance of your kitchen in your house?
My kitchen is really the heart of my apartment. As soon as I use the bathroom in the morning, the first thing I do is fire up the electric kettle so my husband and I can have our morning tea (Earl Grey for him, Assam or Chai for me). Mornings during the winter are difficult for me haha, so I need warmth and caffeine. I wander in and out of the kitchen most of the day eating snacks, figuring out grocery lists, washing dishes, and looking at the neighborhood cats from the window. There’s great light that streams in all day in there so it’s kind of like a beacon of coziness that calms me throughout the day.
2. What’s the best part of the day for you to cook?
Honestly? Early in the morning when no one else is awake. When I’m baking/cooking a bunch of things for an event or a holiday, I love to take advantage of the solitude. I think it takes me back to when I worked early mornings in a commercial kitchen and me and my coworkers would be working to music or even the thrum of the machines. It makes me feel purposeful and accomplished – and even though I love to cook with friends, I get easily distracted haha. Sometimes my brain works better with the quiet.
3. Are you a creative chef or simply love to follow recipes?
I love the structure of a recipe and I like to see how other recipe writers’ brains work. I’ll follow my favorite recipes for a while but then I’ll augment them to my tastes. I do wish I was better at writing down my changes though – definitely something to work on this year!
4. Three ingredients that are never missing from your kitchen cabinet?
Canned/Dried legumes, kosher salt, tinned fish
5. How did your passion for cooking come about?
Definitely from my parents. My mom would cook for my family during the week as much as possible (she worked too!) and my dad loved to go out to eat and try new things. I also was obsessed with all of the cooking shows on public television! Right after Sesame Street and Mr Rogers were done for the morning, I would watch Julia Child, Martin Yan, Mary Ann Esposito, Nathalie Dupree, Cooking Secrets of the CIA – pretty much anything having to do with cooking. My mom also has a small cookbook collection that I would spend hours reading. As soon as I was 9 or 10, I started helping to make dishes for our holiday meals too.
6. What’s your favourite dish to cook that you know can never go wrong with it?
Samin Nosrat’s Buttermilk Brined Chicken! And if you have a container of Puerto RIcan Sofrito in your freezer, you have a foolproof ingredient that will bring so much flavor to any savory dish.
7. Would you receive an entire TV crew in your kitchen for a day?
If you mean one person with a camera and one person with a boom mic hahaha – I have a classic NYC kitchen. It’s pretty dang small but also is fairly easy to cook in and navigate.
8. Do you follow any tv shows or have a favourite cooking book?
Oh gosh – that’s really hard. I don’t follow a lot of food reality TV if I’m being honest but when I’m in the mood for:
Something comforting: Great British Bake Off, any Nigella cooking show, Two Fat Ladies, International food videos on YouTube
Something silly/trashy: Kitchen Nightmares, Bar Rescue
Something educational: Tasting History on YouTube, High on the Hog (Netflix)
My favorite cookbooks right now are: Diasporican by Illyana Maisonet, Start Here by Sohla El Wally, I Dream of Dinner by Ali Slagle. My favorite food newsletters are Alicia Kennedy’s (a great combo of food/political writing and fantastic vegetable recipes/methodologies) and Hetty McKinnion’s (amazing recipe writer and person – she’s also very vegetable focused and her recipes are flavorful and well-written).
Monique and I also share the love for a great New Yorker baker, Jessie Sheehan. I’ve seen quite a few times Monique baking /sharing on IG stories great results from Jessie’s books! You can actually read Jessie’s Kitchen Story here.
Another curiosity that hit me while putting this post together was about Monique’s nickname – The Eatinist Bitch. So I’ve asked and she told me this pretty funny story from early years of college time, during summer job as a theatre usher…inside story. The things you do for an extra bite and $7 bucks. Put it that way, from early years of college to grown up life and it became her trademark.
Quem não gosta de ganhar ovo de Páscoa? Eu como boa chocólatra, adoro!! Fiz uma curadoria com os chocolates que eu mais gosto, selecionados a dedo!!
Homenageando a brasilidade das nossas terras que produz matérias primas que se transformam nessa delícia que se chama chocolate.
Vamos começar então pela minha marca preferida. Nunca fiz segredo!
Adoro presentear com a versão “quebra quebra” em seus diversos sabores. Adoro o trabalho com a apresentação das embalagens, as cores. E o trabalho de criação de cada produto.
“Páscoa tem sabor de Dengo, chocolate tem sabor de Dengo!”
As opções são muitas, foi difícil, mas escolhi quatro, tanto para exagerar um pouquinho! Segui um pouco do meu gosto pessoal que também podem ser parte de uma clássica escolha para agradar o paladar.
Ovo Recheado Tropical chocolate ao leite com ganache de maracujá com puxuri – noz moscada brasileira da amazônia ph: Miro Classico Chocolate ao Leite à Base de Plantas com drágeas de castanha-de-caju ph: Miro Ovo Quebra-Quebra Caramelizado com Nibs e Flor de Sal – com chocolate branco caramelizado ph: Miro Dengo de CorteCafé Cremoso recheado com ganache de chocolate branco com café e canela e gianduia de castanha-de-caju ph: Miro
Seguindo pelos sabores da Amazonia, lá na loja Combu, uma jóia rara bem escondidinha no meio da Bela Vista, deixei as menina escolherem por mim. Elas tem sempre o cuidados de entender o que o cliente procura e com ótimas sugestões. Desta vez elas fizeram uma escolha de diversos bombons, balas e um salame com sabores paraenses. E claro não poderia faltar o ovo. De Açaí. Aquele de verdade!!
Esta maravilha é feita com a mais fina seleção de chocolate ao leite premium, proporcionando um sabor suave e uma textura aveludada que derrete na boca. O recheio é uma autêntica geleia de açaí, adicionando uma explosão de sabores. Esta combinação perfeita cria um deleite indulgente que é quase impossível resistir. ph: Miro
Duplinha das boas essa!
Bombom de chocolate ao leite com geleia de taperebá
Bala de chocolate com caramelo e geleia de açaí. Bala de Castanha Bala de chocolate com caramelo e doce de castanha
Bombom de Castanha Castanha do Pará, leite condensado e chocolate em barra meio amargo.Um punhado de delícias paraense!Bombom de Castanha Castanha do Pará, leite condensado e chocolate meio amargo
Bombom Cupuaçu Cupuaçu, açúcar, leite condensado e chocolate em barra meio amargo.
A Páscoa não é completa se não tiver à mesa a Colomba Pascal, como pede a tradição italiana.
E para celebrar este ano, a chef pâtissier do Rosewood São Paulo, Saiko Izawa, criou sua receita a base de fermentação natural de 36 horas, trazendo um equilíbrio perfeito entre doce e cítrico. O recheio leva morango passa orgânico, chocolate 45% ‘tree to bar’ com de laranja e limão confitados.
Cortesia Rosewood São Paulo
Tem presente para os fans de FRIENDS também! Este ano a Kopenhagen criou um set especial para celebrar a série.
Ovo Friends – acompanha bonecos colecionáveis de Ross, Rachel e Phoebe Ovo Friends – acompanha bonecos colecionáveis de Monica, Chandler e Joey
Onde celebrar seu domingo de Páscoa
Entre os dias 15 e 20 de abril, o Cabruca, restaurante da Fábrica de Dengo criou um menu de almoço especial para a ocasião. Elaborado com ingredientes selecionados e sabores brasileiros, a chef Sanae Mattos apresenta uma combinação de pratos leves e aconchegantes, perfeitos para a ocasião. O menu especial de Páscoa inclui entrada, prato principal e sobremesa servido durante o almoço, das 12h às 16h. Para reservar basta acessar o link.
O Rosewood São Paulo também preparou uma programação especial. No dia 20 de abril, domingo, das 11h às 16h, será servido um brunch com menu exclusivo nos restaurantes Le Jardin, o grand café do hotel, e Blaise, a brasserie premium da propriedade. O menu foi idealizado pela chef executiva Rachel Codreanschi.
Feliz Páscoa!
Who doesn’t love an Easter egg? As a self-proclaimed chocoholic, I adore them!! I’ve curated a selection of my favorite chocolates, hand-picked for your enjoyment!!
Honoring the Brazilian spirit of our lands, which produce the raw materials that are transformed into this delight called chocolate.
Let’s start with my favorite brand, I’ve never kept it a secret!
I love giving the “quebra quebra” version as a gift, in its various flavors. I love the packaging presentation, the colors, and the creative work behind each product.
“Easter has the flavor of Dengo, chocolate has the flavor of Dengo!”
There are so many options, it was hard, but I chose four to indulge a little! I followed some of my personal taste, which you might also like.
Following the flavors of the Amazon, at Combu store, a rare gem hidden in the middle of Bela Vista neighborhood, I let the girls choose for me. They always take care to understand what the customer is looking for and have great suggestions. This time they made a selection of various chocolates, candies, and a salami with Pará flavors. And of course, the egg! Açaí flavor. The real deal!!
Easter isn’t complete without a Colomba Pascal on the table, as Italian tradition says.
And to celebrate this year, the pastry chef at Rosewood São Paulo, Saiko Izawa, created her recipe based on 36 hours of natural fermentation, bringing a perfect balance between sweet and citrus. The filling includes organic raisin strawberries, 45% ‘tree to bar’ chocolate with candied orange and lemon.
There’s a gift for FRIENDS fans too! This year, Kopenhagen created a special set to celebrate the series.
Where to Celebrate Your Easter Sunday
Between April 15th and 20th, Cabruca, the restaurant at Fábrica de Dengo, has created a special lunch menu for the occasion. Crafted with selected ingredients and Brazilian flavors, chef Sanae Mattos presents a combination of light and comforting dishes, perfect for the occasion. The special Easter menu includes an appetizer, main course, and dessert, served during lunch from 12 pm to 4 pm. To make a reservation, simply access the link.
Rosewood São Paulo has also prepared a special program. On Sunday, April 20th, from 11 am to 4 pm, an exclusive brunch menu will be served at Le Jardin, the hotel’s grand café, and Blaise, the property’s premium brasserie. The menu was created by executive chef Rachel Codreanschi.
Chef Jefferson Rueda took some time away from his kitchen so to look after his health, reinvigorate. The result is remarkable come back, completely renovated, full of energy and his creativity at its highest. Working really hard to stay focus with his beliefs. This year the restaurant received the Green Michelin Star, a new world award recognizing restaurants that work with strong sense of sustainability and helping the environment. Worldwide with 50Best they hold a well deserved 27th position.
He’s back!
a Casa do Porco has the two options of menu: a 6 course tasting menu as well as the à la carte.
The last time I visited was in 2019, so it was about time I placed a visited back.
I care to mention my admiration for the work the Rueda family did during the pandemic years in order to keep their farm producing and making part of their restaurants serving delivery lunch and dinner with safe and stable conditions for their staff, guaranteeing they wouldn’t loose their jobs.
Back to my recent experience, every now and then I very much enjoy going to restaurants by myself so I can have the in depthone to one experience with the food, understanding the Chef creations’, exploring the flavors and beauty of each course.
I had a Friday lunch reservation for 12pm on the dot. It was raining ‘cats and dogs’. That usual waiting line going around the corner for those trying to enjoy some lunch without reservations. When the hostess called out my name from the list I walked in and suddenly it felt as if the sun came out, inside! To welcome the guests. That’s the energy you feel from this vibrant lively restaurant.
I asked to seat by the bar, facing the kitchen and watch the so well synchronized work from the brigade.
For those reading me here, at lafoodsitter, for the first time, Welcome! Some of you might not know what I do for work. I’m a consultant in the food industry so I get the privilege to work a lot with chefs, restaurant teams to mention a few of my multitasking profession. So when eating out, it happens so naturally that it gets my attention during their service.
This time, however, I’ve “turned off work mode” and focused in enjoying my experience to the fullest.
I had the most was kind, very polite waiter allocated. Perfectly in tune with all the detailed explanation to every course served. Bartenders were also up to the beat and very entertaining.
Each bite was pure delight. But even more delightful was to look around and see something like a ballet performance from the waiters going around, cordially, smiling and making all guests feel like they were the most important people in the room.
Yeap, work mode never does switch off completely, I know! (laughs)
During each course I could see the Chef’s study and work in platting parts of influences from more exotic Brazilian flavors combined with the star of the house, San Zé, the world famous, and winner, pork the Rueda family breed in their farm.
When leaving the restaurant, it was still raining but the sunny felling from inside a casa do Porco was still in me.
Rua Araujo, 124 Centro São Paulo Tel: +55 11 3528 2678 / For reservation please visit their website
Versão em português
Que tal começarmos este post com um enorme parabéns à A Casa do Porco pela sua mais recente conquista do 15° lugar no Latin America 50Best Restaurant 2024!!
O Chef Jefferson Rueda tirou um tempo da cozinha para cuidar da saúde e se revitalizar. O resultado é um retorno notável, completamente renovado, cheio de energia e com sua criatividade no auge. Trabalhando duro para manter o foco em suas crenças. Este ano, o restaurante recebeu a Estrela Verde Michelin, um novo prêmio mundial que reconhece restaurantes que trabalham com forte senso de sustentabilidade e ajudam o meio ambiente. Mundialmente, com o 50Best, ocupam uma merecida 27ª posição.
A Casa do Porco oferece duas opções de menu: um menu degustação de 6 pratos e também à la carte. A última vez que visitei foi em 2019, então já era hora de voltar. Gostaria de mencionar minha admiração pelo trabalho que a família Rueda fez durante os anos da pandemia para manter sua fazenda produzindo e fazendo parte de seus restaurantes, servindo almoço e jantar por delivery em condições seguras e estáveis para seus funcionários, garantindo que não perderiam seus empregos. Voltando à minha recente experiência, de vez em quando gosto muito de ir à restaurantes sozinho para poder ter uma experiência profunda e individual com a comida, entendendo as criações do Chef, explorando os sabores e a beleza de cada prato. Eu tinha uma reserva de almoço de sexta-feira para o meio-dia em ponto. Estava chovendo muito. Aquela fila de espera habitual contornando a esquina para quem tenta aproveitar um almoço sem reserva. Quando a hostess chamou meu nome da lista, entrei e de repente foi como se o sol tivesse aparecido, lá dentro! Para dar as boas-vindas aos clientes. Essa é a energia que você sente ao entrar neste restaurante vibrante e animado.
Pedi para sentar no balcão, de frente para a cozinha, para observar o trabalho tão bem sincronizado da brigada.
Para aqueles que estão me lendo aqui, no lafoodsitter, pela primeira vez, sejam bem-vindos! Alguns de vocês podem não saber com o que trabalho. Sou consultora gastronômica, então tenho o privilégio de trabalhar com chefs, equipes de restaurantes, para mencionar alguns dos diferentes escopos de trabalho.. Então, quando saio para comer, acontece naturalmente que isso chame minha atenção durante o serviço deles.
Desta vez, porém, “desliguei o modo trabalho” e me concentrei em aproveitar ao máximo minha experiência.
Tive o melhor garçom, muito gentil e educado. Perfeitamente sintonizado com todas as explicações detalhadas de cada prato servido. Os barmen também estavam no ritmo e muito divertidos.
Cada mordida era puro deleite. Mas ainda mais delicioso foi olhar ao redor e ver algo como uma performance de balé dos garçons circulando, cordialmente, sorrindo e fazendo todos os clientes se sentirem como se fossem as pessoas mais importantes no restaurante.
Sim, o modo trabalho nunca desliga completamente, eu sei! (risos)
Durante cada prato, pude ver o estudo e o trabalho do Chef em partes de pratos com influências de sabores brasileiros mais exóticos, combinados com a estrela da casa, o San Zé, o porco mundialmente famoso e premiado que a família Rueda cria em sua fazenda.
Ao sair do restaurante, ainda estava chovendo, mas a sensação de sol que senti dentro da Casa do Porco ainda estava em mim.
We all know the history behind the name and everything this incredible Italian family has done and continues to do for the gastronomic world.
I invite you to follow @fasano Instagram profile not only for the way they share their work but specially for the witty reels made with Gero Fasano sharing his views on my controversial aspects of the food industry.
Simply priceless.
For more reading about Fasano visit the post about Emporio Fasano.
