Tuca Mezzomo

Tuca is the chef and owner of Charco, which opened in 2019. His meteoric rise actually has justification and trajectory: despite being young—he was only 28 when he opened the restaurant—, this gaúcho from Passo Fundo and of Italian descent decided to work with food as a teenager, at the age of 14. Since then, he has dedicated himself to researching Southern Brazilian cuisine, including his passion for charcuterie, which led him to delve deeper technically in Germany, one of the world's biggest strongholds of sausages. In his resume, in addition to his Bachelor's degree in Gastronomy from Univali (SC), Tuca collects passages through restaurants such as Dalva & Dito—where he was Alex Atala’s souschef—, Nino Cucina, Peppino Bar, Da Marino, and Salumeria, in which he has actively participated since the initial project. But it was when flying solo that he was able to reveal his full potential. With a work permeated by embers, the chef brings the product as the protagonist. Seasonal ingredients from the sea and the land dictate Charco's tasting menus in rustic original recipes with strong roots from the South of Brazil. Vegetables, meat, seafood, fish, and desserts go through processes that involve fire in different techniques, including yakitori, parrilla, smoker, and wood oven. The personal touch also appears in the details—from charcuterie to the bread, and even to the butter served on the cover charge: everything is made at Charco from scratch. With delicate and powerful creations that have won over audiences and critics alike, Tuca has already reached a high level of prominence, emerging today as one of the greatest Brazilian chefs, even with so little time in his own restaurant.