Alex Atala, a successful Brazilian chef, embarked on an extraordinary culinary career from a young age. After years of training in Europe, he achieved success with his restaurants in São Paulo, including the Two MICHELIN-Starred "D.O.M. Restaurant," and various culinary initiatives.
Born in 1968, Alex Atala's passion for the culinary arts ignited when he was still a child, as he came into contact with the wonders of the Amazon rainforest, thanks to his family. At the age of 19, while studying at the Namur Hotel School in Belgium, Atala began his professional chef career. In France, he honed his skills by working in prestigious establishments under the guidance of Jean Pierre Bruneau and Bernard Loiseau. He also apprenticed at the renowned "Hotel de la Cote D'Or." Later, he ventured into new challenges in Montpellier and Milan.
In 1994, Atala returned to São Paulo and quickly garnered attention for his leadership at restaurants like "Filomena" and "72."
In 1999, he opened his first restaurant, "Namesa," followed by the celebrated "D.O.M. Restaurant," which was consistently ranked on the list of the 50 Best Restaurants for several years. This innovative establishment focuses on using local ingredients and culinary traditions to create cutting-edge, sophisticated, and consistently surprising dishes. The restaurant earned Two MICHELIN Stars in 2018.
Atala then transformed into a successful entrepreneur: in 2009, he opened the restaurant "Dalva e Dito," which highlights the concept of affectionate cooking with an authentic Brazilian spirit.
In 2012, he opened the "Mercadinho Dalva e Dito" next to the eponymous restaurant in the Jardins neighborhood of São Paulo, offering a wide range of products. In 2021, he opened the "D.O.M. Hotel."
In 2015, he appeared in the Netflix series "Chef's Table," and in 2018, he initiated the "FRU.TO SEMINAR," focusing on strategies to provide adequate food to a global population estimated to reach 8.6 billion people by 2030, according to the United Nations.
Atala is committed to promoting Brazilian ingredients through the product line "Retratos do Gosto," a partnership with MIE Brasil, a brand-focused on conscious consumption. He has also published three books on the subject: "Alex Atala – Por uma Gastronomia Brasileira," "Com Unhas, Dentes e Cuca – Prática Culinária e Papo Cabeça ao Alcance de Todos," co-written with sociologist Carlos Alberto Dória, and "Escoffianas Brasileiras," written with journalist Carolina Chagas.
Alex also participates in events worldwide and is a sought-after speaker at important gastronomic gatherings such as Alimentaria and Madrid Fusión (Spain), Salone Del Gusto – Slow Food and Identitá Golose (Italy), Omnivore (France), and I Primitivi Fiamminghi (Belgium).
