The best chef in Latin America is Brazilian: Tasia Magalhães, from São Paulo from Guaratinguita, beautiful, elegant, talented. She runs the restaurant Nelita, which reached 12th place among the 50 best restaurants in Latin America. Unique detail: Only women work in the kitchen. There’s a single man in the room — husband and partner Daniel Stein, who’s in charge of the house’s wine list.
Tasya is not new. She has been in the profession for 16 years and is known for her dedication, precision and appetite for knowledge. Not coincidentally, she won the Best Female Chef of Latin America award, given by the 50 best restaurants in Latin America, one of the most relevant titles in continental gastronomy, which celebrates women who have made a significant impact on the culinary scene through their vision, leadership and creative contribution.
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Before that, he had already been featured on La Liste, a traditional French list that highlights outstanding chefs and restaurants, where he received the 2024 New Talent Award, dedicated to the most promising professionals shaping the future of gastronomy.
Last night, Nelita reached No. 12 on the Latin American 50 Best Restaurants list, rising 14 places from 2024 and 27 from 2022, the year in which it debuted on the list after just over a year of operation.
Tassia has also had her career recognized by Forbes Brasil, which elected her, in 2015, as one of the 30 Young People Under 30, a list of the most promising young Brazilians in their fields. Open since 2021, Nelita is a charming house in Pinheiros – a 100% female kitchen, where the chef practices signature Italian cuisine and haute cuisine, inspired by Italy, but transformed by modern techniques and Brazilian ingredients to create contrasts of flavour, texture and colour.
He graduated in gastronomy at Escola Senac Campos do Jordão, at the age of 19, and then traveled around Europe, training in famous restaurants, such as the Danish restaurant Geranium (three Michelin stars), Kadeau (one of the leaders in Nordic gastronomy), and Amass, as well as Summerbird Patisserie.
With his strong ties to Brazilian culture, the 36-year-old chef has created one of the most emblematic menus I’ve ever seen. It was inspired by the painting “The Three Girls”, painted by de Cavalcanti, a native of Vale do Paraíba. “All the dishes are designed according to the colors of the work,” said Tassia, who is always questioning fads and celebrating the history of gastronomy through the dishes she creates.
The big Brazilian star was at the Latin Awards, which included 16 Brazilian restaurants among the 100 best restaurants in Latin America, including two from Rio: Lasai, by Rava Costa e Silva (13), and Oteque (38).