Mara Rocha Mello
Cafe Patisserie
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Mara Rocha Mello doesn’t try to get around it: her sweet tooth was among the influences which led her to become a pastry chef. That, and her love of making delicious and artistic creations to please people.
Mello began her studies at Brookes University in Oxford, England, studying business administration. She trained for her culinary career at the New York Restaurant School and Peter Kump’s Cooking School. Mello went to work at Brunela Confeitaria & Afins in Sao Paulo, then moved to CIA de Eventos Gastronomicos, and on to Roanne Restaurant, both in Sao Paulo. She worked at three-star Raphael, four-star Chanterelle and Nobu, and Francoise Payard’s bistro and pastry shop in New York City. In 1997 Mello worked at four-star Le Cirque, home of legendary pastry chef Jacques Torres, also in New York City, In 1998 she returned to Sao Paulo, opening Cafe Patisserie. Mello finds her inspiration in the wide variety of fresh ingredients available in Sao Paulo, but her influences are from Francois Payard and Peter Kump. At home? Pasta and risotto. At work, divine confections.