Under the command of Onildo Rocha, a chef from Paraíba State, there was no place the Priceless Space could pay homage to, when it opened in 2021, other than the Brazilian backcountry. The first season, called Sertões – On the Banks of São Francisco River -, brought back Onildo’s fond memories of the Northeast, but also curiosities that surprised him.
Yes, because even though he is from the Northeast, when he went on the expedition with the team for 11 days, he discovered ingredients and flavors he had never tried before, which left him even more impressed with Brazil’s richness.
The result of the trip was a menu inspired by the Northeast, with highlights such as the rubacão with carne-de-sol, traditional from his homeland, and the kid meat croquette. Ingredients from the Brazilian hinterland which, with Onildo’s refined technique, were transformed into surprising flavors that delighted the audience at Notiê and Abaru.
The Sertões (backcountry) were not only on the menu, but also on the atmosphere. Anyone arriving at Notiê would see the 18-meter-long panel on the restaurant’s ceiling, bringing elements of the sertão to life in a playful way, designed by set designer Patricia Sobral. A digital collage featured a young woman, reinforcing the idea of rebirth and nature, crowned with the mulungu flower, a tree celebrated by the backcountry dwellers for its medicinal properties.
he images along the mural were interconnected by a black band, which represented the beauty of the Velho Chico, as São Francisco River is called. Everything was connected so that the public felt immersed in another world, even though they were in the heart of São Paulo.
Here’s how the first season expedition was.
Press
