Chef Roberta Sudbrack, born in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, was recently awarded the Veuve Clicquot Award for Best Female Chef in Latin America 2015. This prestigious distinction is bestowed every year by the organization 50 Best Restaurants of America. The awards ceremony will be held on September 23 in Mexico City.
Chef Roberta Sudbrack.
Since 2008, Sudbrack operates her namesake restaurant in the beautiful and quiet district of the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro. Within ten years, she has managed to become one of the most respected, valued and admired chefs in the country. In fact, she has earned a number of awards, among the most noteworthy are her three stars in the Quatro Rodas guide, the Brazilian equivalent of the Michelin stars.
Roberta Sudbrack has great merit as she is an entirely self-taught cook. She began her career in the world of gastronomy pushing a hot dog cart. Later, thanks to her tenacity and obvious talent, she obtained a coveted job: she was named head chef at the Presidential Palace, becoming the first woman to cook for a president of Brazil. Following that, she opened her restaurant, where she gives way to a boundless imagination in unique creations that clearly demonstrate her respect and love for the techniques and ingredients of her country. A passionate inspiration that makes her one of the best cooks in Latin America.
Roberta creates seasonal dishes showing appreciation for the products, always in contact with the farmers and using only high-quality ingredients. Her kitchen seeks consistency and authenticity with a purpose that pays a heartfelt tribute to Brazilian ingredients in a modern way.
In fact, the award organization has valued her efforts to rescue traditional techniques and ingredients in her kitchen. “She has given a leading role to Brazil’s daily cuisine in an authentic and unique menu that has gained international recognition.”
The restaurant occupies the 13th place on the list of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America 2014. It is a cozy bistro with a relaxing atmosphere. Located in a two-story house decorated with pale colored walls, burgundy carpets, wooden tables and designer chairs, this is a restaurant that celebrates the joy of living with foods that should be slowly savored. The menu changes daily, depending on what nature and the sea have to offer. It is a sensory experience that goes far beyond the simple need to eat or drink.
In 2013, this award went to a beloved companion and compatriot of hers, Helena Rizzo, Chef at the restaurant Mani in San Paulo. According to Roberta Sudbrack, the growing success of women in the mostly male world of haute cuisine is mainly due to the respect, talent and effort with which women face the daily challenges of a profession that is both demanding and rich in emotions and feelings. Meet women from the world of haute cuisine, like Vicky Lau, Best Female Chef in Asia 2015. ■
