Bio

Hello! My name is Danilo Melo, I’m from Campinas, São Paulo, and I have been a cook for 19 years. My journey in gastronomy began washing dishes in New Zealand, where I went on an exchange program to learn English at the age of 21. It was love at first sight with gastronomy. During the four years I lived there, I took several short courses in the field.

When I returned to Brazil, I moved to Rio Grande do Sul, where I studied Gastronomy at Senac in Porto Alegre. I worked in several restaurants in the state, and a few years later, I moved to Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina, where I worked as a head chef in restaurants and organized various gastronomic events, such as weddings and graduations.

In 2018, I was invited to become a partner in two restaurants in the state of Mato Grosso. The businesses thrived until the pandemic, which greatly impacted the industry. We managed to get through that challenging period, but by the end of 2021, the financial difficulties caused by the prolonged restrictions in the state forced us to close. I then returned to São Paulo, now settling in São José dos Campos, where I currently live.

Nowadays, I work as a consultant and organize gastronomic events in São José dos Campos, Campos do Jordão, Taubaté, Pindamonhangaba, and throughout the Vale do Paraíba region. I am also exploring the possibility of opening a restaurant in a nearby tourist town.

That’s a little bit of my journey. I love creating recipes tailored to each client’s taste.

I became a chef by burning my arms, cutting my hands, washing dishes, and scrubbing kitchen floors. After all, everyone in this profession has to go through these stages, right? I always say that gastronomy is not all the glamour we see on TV cooking shows, but it is an incredibly rewarding profession. Dedication and focus are essential.

My cooking philosophy follows the path of artisanal gastronomy, valuing local suppliers and creating menus focused on the client's preferences and tastes.