He will be a special guest on the new episode of MasterChef Alex Atala, eclectic and exuberant Brazilian chefright now that the time has come for the first skill test of the season.
Who is Alex Atala?
Born to Palestinian parents of Irish descent, he opened his own restaurant in Sao Paulo Sun («Deo Optimo Maximo), which has received two Michelin stars and is in 33rd place among the 50 Best Restaurants of Latin America. As a teenager he was fascinated by punk rock culture and for some time he DJed: the idea of becoming a chef never even crossed his mind.
Once he arrived in Europe, however, he decided to enroll in a cooking school. At first, European cuisine, especially Italian, French and Spanish, did not excite him. «The first time I ate caviar, truffles and foie gras I didn’t like them, he said. And I thought: if here in Europe they enjoy these things, who knows what we can come up with using them the unique ingredients we have in our Amazon rainforest. His European experience has allowed him to acquire a deep knowledge of culinary techniques and ingredients used in international cuisine.
The love of insects
And so, with his wealth of experience and knowledge, when he returned to Brazil, Alex Atala wanted to «translate thatpride in being local which I had learned in Europe, and opened Dom, which quickly gained global fame thanks to its innovative interpretation of Brazilian cuisine, which uses local ingredients in creative and original ways. And yes, even insects, which he has introduced into his gastronomic creations, exploring creative ways to include them in his recipes. He mainly uses Amazonian ants. «When you taste them, you go on a roller coaster, the flavor is of lemongrass and ginger, he explained. «I couldn’t believe it and I fell in love with it. Of course, it’s not easy to look at an ant and put it in your mouth, because we have to dismantle every preconception we grew up with.”
Atala considers insects one protein source nutritionally rich and sustainablewith a lower environmental impact compared to other traditional proteins. One of the chef’s characteristics, in fact, is his great attention to sustainability and environmental conservation: Atala has worked hard with producers and farmers to preserve biodiversity and encourage environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
MasterChef will pay homage to the Amazon with a hymn to the flavors and products of his country. And, just like him, the competitors will each have to be able to compose their own palette and create the right shades of color.
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