PROFILE

Alex Atala, chef and owner of D.O.M. Restaurant, is recognized by an innovative cuisine, thanks to the flavor variety of the Brazilian ingredients. Atala graduated at the Hospitality School of Namur, in Belgium. In Brazil, made his debut as a chef at Filomena, a mixture of bar and events venue. In 1999, after working in other venues as a hired chef, he opened two houses: NaMesa, a chic fast-food (extinct), and D.O.M., creative contemporary cuisine restaurant with a marking Brazilian accent. In 2009, another contribution to the astronomy universe: Dalva e Dito restaurant, which presents the concept of affective cuisine and reinforces the faith Alex Atala has in both native ingredients and culture.

The work developed throughout his career towards Brazilian ingredients, colors and flavors enhancement caught the specialists’ eye. Atala has a collection of both national and international prizes and, in 2013, made it in the 100 most influential people list of TIME Magazine. For the last twelve years, D.O.M. has been included in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list by the British publication, Restaurant Magazine. Currently, it is holds the 30th position in the ranking. In 2014, Atala was given the Lifetime Achievement Diners Club Prize in the South American 50 best election, by the same magazine, and, in 2016, D.O.M. was elected 3rd best restaurant in Latin America (also by Restaurant Magazine).

In April 2013, one new project. ATÁ Institute was born, founded by Atala and a multidisciplinary team which has the participation of photographers, business men, advertising professionals, one anthropologist and a journalist. The project has the proposal of bringing together the knowledge of eating, the eating of cooking, the cooking of producing, the producing from nature.

In 2015, Atala became the first Brazilian chef to head a two-starred restaurant by the Michelin Guide. D.O.M. received two stars. As if all of that wasn’t already enough, the chef also started in 2015 a buffet service for high standard events: 7 Gastronomia.

2016 was a busy year. The first happening of it was the opening of the new spaces in Mercado de Pinheiros, a traditional large market in São Paulo. The boxes, signed by ATÁ Institute, offer regional ingredients from the Brazilian biomes such as Amazon and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest to the city’s public. To increase what was already a year full of great accomplishments, chef Alex Atala is featured on the second season of the Netflix acclaimed documentary series, Chef’s Table. In a moving and revealing episode, the audience gets to meet details regarding the cuisine creations and the role that Atala plays with small producers and Brazilian communities.

The opening of the newest venue in D.O.M. Group made of 2017 a year with even more challenges. Opened in May, Bio – Healthy Eating has sustainability and using 100% of the ingredients as its main flags. Cheeses, flours, manioc and its derivatives, açaí berry and other flavors from many regions are the stars of the menu which still has a broad offer of vegetables. Due to receive over 500 clients a day, it is the most affordable restaurant of D.O.M. Group and can be defined as a quick, healthy and unpretentious restaurant.

In 2018, another brand new challenge: FRUTO, the international seminar founded by chef Alex Atala, cultural producer Felipe Ribenboim and the ATÁ Institute, had its first edition. The event brought together thirty of the most important minds in the fields of sustainability, science, gastronomy and industry to discuss alternatives on how to bring quality food to a world population that could reach 8.6 billion people by 2030, according to the UN. 2019 already had its FRUTO edition and the 2020’s is being prepared.
What else is there to come? According to chef Alex himself, “myself and all of D.O.M. Group are fueled by challenges and it is time to take on the biggest one so far”. D.O.M. Hotel is set to open its doors on 2021 in the heart of Jardins neighbourhood, in São Paulo. The architectural project is signed by Gui Mattos.

受賞歴（抜粋）
2019　No.54 The World's 50 Best Restaurants　
2018　No.30 The World's 50 Best Restaurants
　　No.5 Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants
2015　Michelin - 2 stars　「D.O.M.」
2014　Latin America's 50 Best RestaurantsでLifetime Achievement Diners Club賞を受賞
2013　TIME Magazineの世界で100人の最も影響力のある人々に選出