Ieda de Matos

Ieda de Matos' story with gastronomy began during childhood, when she would accompany her mother, father, grandmother, and aunts in the kitchen. They used simple utensils and harvested ingredients and spices straight from the backyard, habits that left a lasting impression on the chef's memory. Hailing from Bahia, Ieda arrived in São Paulo with an aunt who adopted her, and in the capital city, she worked in various other professions before deciding to fulfill her long-time dream of working with pots and pans. She became a professional, with an internship in Belgium. Upon returning to Brazil, she decided to invest in street food. She brought Bocapiu to life, where she served Northeastern Brazilian recipes for three years. It was only after this period that she decided to open a homonymous fixed location, Casa de Ieda—which translates to "Ieda's House"—, dedicated to serving the flavors of her homeland, the Chapada Diamantina. There, she translates the flavor of her memories into recipes designed with love and care. She recently won a reality show and was awarded the title of "Restaurant Off the Beaten Path". As a prize, she developed an original menu to lead Portinha Artois, a pop-up restaurant that operated for only 45 days. She participated in the 1st edition of Iron Chef Brasil on Netflix, alongside renowned chefs from Brazil, representing her region, the Northeast.