Chef-Owner, Cladestino Restaurant; Sao Paulo, Brazil

Bel Coelho ’01 is an award-winning chef from Clandestino and presenter of Recipe de Viagem on TLC Discovery. Bel Coelho comes from a family of diplomats, with Portuguese and Italian ancestry. It is easy to understand where the chef's talent for cooking comes from and the pleasure she has in hosting. She started her career 23 years ago as an intern at Laurent Suaudeau and at the Fasano restaurant until she left for New York, where she improved her knowledge at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). In the city of Manhattan, she interned at Payard, the former bistro of chef Daniel Boulud. Then she worked with Alex Atala at D.O.M. and launched its catering service for special events that lasts until today. She became known to the public as a chef in 2003, at the Madelleine restaurant. For the next two years, she led Sabuji's kitchen and received the Revelation Chef award by Veja São Paulo magazine in the guide edition Comer e Beber - O Melhor da Cidade. In Spain, she worked for a season in the exclusive El Celler Can Roca, with three stars in the renowned Michelin Guide and recognized as the first best restaurant in the world by the English magazine The Restaurant. Back in Brazil, Bel opened Dui - the first restaurant she called her own and in 2010, she launched Clandestino, a project she dedicates herself to today, serving tasting menus inspired by her research on native products and Brazilian culture. (Sao Paulo, Brazil) @belcoelho