Rolando Massinha’s SpaghettiSão Paulo Rolando Vanucci was a construction contractor, but several disappointments made him consider leaving the profession. One day, while walking down the street, he came across a well-equipped hot dog van. Out of curiosity, he asked the lady serving the sandwiches if she knew anyone selling a vehicle like that. As fate…
Nakamura’s GyozaSão Paulo The Nakamura family was one of the first to arrive in Brazil during World War II. Many Japanese people chose the Liberdade neighborhood in São Paulo to start their new lives, and that’s where Frank grew up. Despite being born in Brazil, Frank’s mother lived her entire life immersed in Japanese culture,…
Paulinho’s Patty PieRio de Janeiro On the first day Paulinho put his empada cart on the street, he says, a guy came straight from the “depths” to make him give up: “He was sent, I’m sure. The first empada I sold was to him, with codfish. The guy bit into it and threw it away,…
Lucinha’s AnguRio de Janeiro When she descends the century-old staircase of the house where she lives to set up her stand, Lucinha carries more than just pots, ladles, and other necessary utensils for sale. She carries history, knowledge, and the identity of her ancestors, from her slave great-grandmother, as well as the memories of a…
Vani’s Happy DogSão Paulo During the nights of revelry in Vila Madalena, what becomes a sensation is the gratin mashed potato in Vany Dog’s hot dogs from the adapted Kombi of Dona Vany, a strong-willed woman from near Diamantina, who likes to chat and has many stories to tell. Over a decade ago, unemployment gave…
Dona Maria’s Fried pastrySão Paulo Kuniko Yonaha, a Japanese woman now known as Maria, has two sisters and one brother. She came to Brazil in 1963 when she was just 11 years old. She studied until the 2nd grade of primary school but had to interrupt her studies to take care of her younger sister…
Zezé’s Ham SandwichSão Paulo Born in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Zezé moved to Brasília when he was 15 years old. He lived there for more than 20 years, always working in the food business, including restaurants and a butcher shop. “Due to a difficult financial moment, I went broke.” He knew a friend who organized events…
Raphael’s HareburguerRio de Janeiro It may not seem like it, but Raphael Marques’ “hareburger” is “the conjunction of the entire universe. It is the representation or the very material existence, on a smaller scale, of the best of the farthest galaxies.” The boy born and raised in Leme developed his own language to talk about…
Curinga’s CaipirinhaRio de Janeiro The counter of Récion Gama Filho is just over one meter wide and is located on the sidewalk of Rua Joaquim Silva, near the Arcos da Lapa. Dressed as a joker, with a hat and decorated T-shirt, he juggles with his improvised shaker. Meanwhile, he talks, sings, talks, laughs, talks, and…
Arnaldo’s TapiocaRio de Janeiro Arnaldo Ferreira de Melo, like all poor northeasterners from the interior, was raised on tapioca. But in Santa Quitéria, a town of almost 50 thousand inhabitants in the semi-arid region of Ceará, the boy, the youngest of six siblings, ate it stuffed with nothing but air. “It was difficult to find…
