Manu : Manoella Buffara

Manoella Buffara, known as Manu, is the chef behind her eponymous restaurant Manu in Curitiba, the capital of Paraná in southern Brazil.

In 2018, she received the One to Watch Award from The World's 50 Best Restaurants, followed by the title of Latin America's Best Female Chef in 2022, establishing herself as one of the leading figures in contemporary Latin American gastronomy.

At the heart of her cuisine lies a deep connection to Brazil's rich natural environment, culinary heritage, and local communities.

Working closely with local farmers, fishermen, and producers, she incorporates native Brazilian ingredients and traditional cooking methods into her distinctive expression of contemporary gastronomy.

This is Manoella Buffara's first cookbook, offering an intimate exploration of her culinary philosophy, personal journey, and the creative world of her restaurant Manu.

Alongside essays reflecting on her experiences leading up to the restaurant's opening in 2011, her development as a chef, and her relationships with family and local communities, the book presents approximately 60 recipes organized around four menus.

Featured creations include fermented sweet potato with chili and passion fruit, and a béarnaise sauce made with kiwi and yerba mate, demonstrating her inventive approach to combining Brazilian ingredients with original culinary ideas.

The book also includes forewords by Dominique Crenn, chef of the three-Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn, and Alex Atala, one of Brazil's most celebrated chefs.

Alex Atala draws parallels between Buffara's cuisine and the philosophy of Michel Bras, praising her deep respect for local ingredients, producers, and the land from which her cuisine emerges.

Offering a fresh perspective on Brazilian culinary culture, this book explores a philosophy that has become increasingly essential to contemporary chefs: considering the future of the land and its people through the practice of cooking.