Back To the roots

It’s been a while since I started nomading around Brazil to learn about Brazilian, but especially ancestral indigenous food. It has been my goal to understand the different biomes of my big country and their relation to the ancient cultures that live and have lived here — also in combination with the foreign cultures that arrived: African natives, Europeans, Middle Eastern, and Asians. This huge mix of cultures has shaped Brazilian current culture, defining its customs, food, art and much more.

There is a loss when we think of globalization in a way that now we have fast food everywhere. For the sake of adapting to new tastes, traditional foods have been reshaped into something less connected to the roots. A good example is Japanese food or Italian food. Of course, sushi and sashimi are part of Japanese culture, but they are not the whole story. The way it’s been served nowadays is more about selling to shallow palates than truly bringing essential Japanese food culture worldwide. The same goes for Italian food: it’s known for pasta and pizza, and if you travel to the USA, you could even think they invented it. But there is so little relation to actual Italian food or the Italian way of eating.

I mention these well-known foods because they raise the question: what do we really know about Brazilian food, or African food, in other parts of the globe?

My goal as a chef has always been to find a good balance in fusion food — to innovate in this industry by studying the true manners of our past and bringing them into a new perspective. It’s not an easy road, but it’s possible. Food is an infinite journey.

Now I’ve come back to my old town to rebuild bridges I once broke and to carry on with my coconut bacon FoodTech brand. It has been an interesting path: working on my brand, leading culinary workshops, catering, doing menu consultancy. Finishing my Ayurveda education. Coming back to the tatame with my old Kung Fu master. Returning to the Umbanda terreiro. Meeting old friends and staying close to family.

It’s time to put differences aside, reflect on who I used to be, and present the one I have become. The new is always around the corner, but living in the present is what matters most.

Thanks for reading. Please share this with someone you care about who might find it inspiring.

Food is indeed a combination of old and new ingredients.