Born in Bahia and raised in a Rio de Janeiro favela surrounded by poverty and violence, João Diamante was inspired by the social projects that helped him along the way. Thanks to public support, he trained at Alain Ducasse’s culinary school in Paris, an experience that motivated him to return to Brazil and found Diamantes na Cozinha. His project uses culinary training as a tool for empowerment, offering free courses in cooking, baking, pastry, and bar service to marginalised communities, combining theory and practice with hands-on internships in partner establishments. This enables students to find employment or open their own businesses. Through his restaurant Dois de Fevereiro, he showcases both his social mission and his Afro-Brazilian cultural identity.
