São Paulo seasonal cuisine
São Paulo is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. With an influx of references from the many cultures that mingle on the streets of the metropolis, the flavors, recipes and heritage of the kitchens that populate the city are what we can now call São Paulo gastronomy. TUJU's cuisine reflects the encounters of a multicultural city like São Paulo. It absorbs the many influences of the different cultures that cohabit the city, always guided by an intense research of local ingredients.
In a twelve-course tasting, our menus change every three months, seeking to highlight each ingredient at its true peak - in terms of flavor, texture, origin and environmental responsibility.
After two years of research, we understand that seasonality in São Paulo is manifested through rainfall. Our research indicated that in the State of São Paulo, the harvest of ingredients for each season is determined by the rainfall index. The incidence of water in the soil is directly linked to the quality (and flavor, texture, aroma) of each ingredient. That is why we named the seasons of our menu, using the amount of rainfall in each period as a reference:
HUMIDITY, RAIN, WIND, DROUGHT.
We work mainly with local produce, always guided by the seasons. Twice a week, our chef personally goes to the market to select the fish of the day — fresh, chosen one by one, with a careful eye and respect for seasonality, which also exists in the sea. We maintain a close relationship with local fruit and vegetable producers, who cultivate varieties with care and awareness, and we only use Brazilian meats from farms that are raised with socio-environmental responsibility. Each choice is intentional. Each ingredient, an essential chapter in our cuisine.
FISH & SEAFOOD
“São Paulo is just 40 minutes from the sea — which ensures the city a daily supply of fresh fish and seafood. And what remarkable seas we have. From Santa Catarina come oysters, sea urchins, red porgy, wreckfish, and groupers. From Cabo Frio, olho-de-boi (Atlantic wreckfish). From Niterói, trilhas (sand smelt). And how could we not mention Ilhabela, a place so important to us. It is from there that much of the seafood we use arrives, and it is also home to the projeto.amar and mar.is.co — perhaps our most valued partners in artisanal fishing and sustainable sourcing of fish and shellfish. The Brazilian sea is, indeed, generous.”
Ivan Ralston
MEAT & POULTRY
“In Brazil, hunting is prohibited. On the other hand, we are fortunate to have access to a wide variety of meats. On farms close to the city, lambs, wild boar, porco caruncho (native wild pig), ducks, pigeons — and, of course, cattle — are all raised. Animals bred with care, respect, and within systems that prioritize animal welfare, quality, and a close relationship with the land.”
Ivan Ralston
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
“Every immigrant who arrived here also brought their seeds. And so it was — through this blend of cultures and knowledge — that São Paulo became, perhaps, one of the best places in the world to find fruits, vegetables, and greens. In the city’s markets, you can find it all — and always more. Each community has left its mark, helping to transform this great pantry into a vibrant, generous space where tradition and diversity meet every single day.” Ivan Ralston
CHOCOLATES
Cocoa: sacred fruit, offered to the gods and goddesses by the original civilizations of the Americas. Originally from Central and South America, it became a symbol of food that crossed oceans and transformed cultures.
In Brazil, especially in the Amazon and Bahia, cocoa comes in many varieties, each with its own aromas, textures and depth of flavor. At Tuju, we chose to work with these native cocoas in partnership with master chocolatier Arcelia Gallardo of Mission Chocolate.
With it, we explore the nuances of this fruit in chocolates, sweets and petit fours, which end the palatable experience in a delicate and memorable way. We use varieties such as Trinitário and Catongo, grown in Bahia and the Amazon, as well as wild cocoa, harvested by riverside communities in the heart of the forest. Each one carries with it the territory, time and hands that transformed it — and that is what we seek to reveal with each bite.
BREADS
In a fast-paced city like São Paulo, making bread is our way of stopping. It’s impossible to ferment without time — and our bread carries this pause.
We grind, right here in Tuju, agroecological wheat from the interior of Paraná, grown by small producers who are part of the Trigo de Origem project. We use a wooden mill, which preserves the freshness and accentuates the natural aromas and nuances of the grain. Grinding in-house is also a gesture of closeness and respect for the ingredient.
We feed our levain daily and let the dough rest for 24 hours. We also produce buttery brioches, vegan breads, gluten-free breads and our panettone — a sweet bread that took us ten years of study and refinement to come up with the current recipe. It takes three days of fermentation and manual work until it becomes soft, aromatic and light.
CHEESES AND SWEETS
In São Paulo, artisanal cheese production stands out for its creative freedom and strong connection to the region. Without centuries-old traditions, the state has built its own identity, with cheeses that are diverse in techniques, milks and maturations. The movement is driven by initiatives such as the Caminho do Queijo Artesanal Paulista and by rural tourism, with producers who combine experimentation, excellence and respect for the raw material. At TUJU, we value this network, working with partners who share these principles.
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Our board brings together artisanal cheeses from the state of São Paulo and surrounding areas, served with homemade São Paulo sweets and honey from native Brazilian bees.
