synopsis The series “Guardians of Flavour” is a journey in search of flavours that are native to the national cuisine – the most exciting expressions of Brazilian gastronomical biodiversity - which are cultivated sustainably, many of which were forgotten, bordering on extinction. With every episode, the series gathers history, culture, social and environmental awareness, food science and the pleasure of eating well. The chef Bel Coelho, researcher and defender of national flavours, and the journalist – also a specialist on the subject – Xavier Bartaburu will guide this journey while it explores different regions of the country, revealing the unique knowledge of communities that produce and preserve such rare flavours. In addition, the show will have the support of a food scientist, the “flavour analyst” : it is he, from his laboratory, who will provide information on the functional and nutritional value of each of the species that are approached.
justification Inspired on the show “Arc of Taste”, of the Slow Food Foundation – a catalogue that identifies, describes and divulges flavours that are under extintion – the series was spawned from coverage by Xavier Bartaburu for the National Geographic portal. The journalist covered Brazilian communities in which these foods are produced traditionally and sustainably, revealing the challenge of thousands of families to preserve not only these flavours, but their cultural identity. The theme deals with a worldwide problem. According to the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO), only 12 kinds of vegetables and 14 animal species provide the majority of food in the world, and this lack of diversity means that the supply of food has become more vulnerable and less sustainable. “Guardians of Flavour” has potential to generate long seasons. There are about 1000 kinds of foods registered on the list of species under extinction in the world and uncountable species that aren’t even on the list, but even the ones with commercial and productive possiblilities find themselves under threat due to the unsustainable way in which they are produced. It’s about a current topic which carries all the aspects of the tripod of sustainability – economical, humane and environmental. It is content that combines entertainment, information and has good audience drivers: gastronomy, science, history, environment and human relationships.
10 episodes of 26’
format
(with the possibility to expand nationally or internationally for a second season)
Each episode will present a flavour and a region of Brazil: each phase of each ingredient will be covered, from production to final recipe. From the wild to the table. From the history of the community, the daily effort of thousands of families to preserve their source of income and their cultural identity, to the rescue undertaken by dozens of chefs all around the country. Peculiar aspects, nutritional and cultural value. The presenters:
Chef: researcher of new flavours and eating habits in order to prepare original dishes. Journalist: tireless investigator searching for more knowledge about these unique foods. Also in search of beautiful backdrops, instigating characters and good stories
Flavour Analyst: connoisseur of the whole food chain – from production to the consumer’s table.The scientific reference of the show, the one that will analyse the food in the lab and supply information about the physicochemical, microbiological and nutritional aspects. The episodes all end with a great banquet, which will be based on the featured food, where both traditional community recipes and Chef Bel Coelho’s creations will be included.
The chef ELLE Gourmet
D
izem que as boas ideias surgem quando a gente menos espera. Com a chef Bel Coelho, foi assim. Em 2009, ela começou a intercalar a rotina de seu restaurante, o Dui, com jantares especiais para os amigos e a família. “Às vezes, eu os recebia em minha casa e em outras eles me emprestavam sua cozinha”, conta a paulistana, de 34 anos e 17 de carreira. Nessas ocasiões, o clima era sempre de mistério e curiosidade, com convidados ansiosos para descobrir quais surpresas gastronômicas estariam no menu criado pela chef, conhecida por seus pratos de ingredientes brasileiros e técnicas de alta gastronomia. Depois de algum tempo, esses eventos, bem exclusivos, foram batizados informalmente de “clandestinos”. “Os encontros sempre foram tão prazerosos e inspiradores que naturalmente fiquei com vontade de criar algo semelhante em meu restaurante”, conta Bel, que lançou dois anos depois o projeto Clandestino dentro do próprio Dui. O formato era próximo ao das refeições de sua casa: jantar com menu-degustação para 20 pessoas, às quintas-feiras, no primeiro andar da casa, que comandou de 2009 a maio de 2013, em São Paulo, e teve que fechar por diversas razões, entre elas o aumento astronômico do valor do aluguel. Foram cinco temporadas de jantares clandestinos, cada uma com um menu mais criativo que o outro. Alguns tiveram um tema, como o inspirado na comida dos orixás. Já outros seguiam um caminho mais solto, trazendo algumas das diversas referências da criadora, que estudou gastronomia em Nova York (Culinary Institute of America, CIA), trabalhou em países como Inglaterra, França e Portugal e fez estágio no El Celler de Can Roca, restaurante na Catalunha, que foi eleito o número um do mundo no ano passado pela revista britânica The Restaurant. No Brasil, ela
Bel Coelho She discovered her talent for cooking when she was 17 years old. From then on, she worked with masters such as Alex Atala, and has worked in successful spots in Brazil and abroad. She started her career as an intern for Laurent Suadeau and at the restaurant Fasano until she went to New York, where she perfected her skills at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and Payard.
Back! she’s
she’s
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The desire to delve into flavours and food preparation methods in all regions of the country led her to European TV. As a host of the 20 episode series Assiete Brésilienne (Brazilian Dish, in Portuguese), Bel was introduced to the culinary habits of more than 20 locations. The show was produced for the Franco-German channel Arte and has been showing in Brazil since the beginning of 2015, by TLC (Travel & Living Channel, a Discovery Network brand). Nowadays, Bel is in charge of the restaurant Clandestino, where she invests in unpretentious recipes, and ultimately reveals her love for Brazilian gastronomy.
“My proposal is to help people better understand the Brazilian ingredients and to increase their consumption. For example, native Brazilian fruits, such as uvaia and cambuci, which almost went extinct and that few people know about.” Bel Coelho
A chef Bel Coelho, sua cozinha e a fachada do Clandestino, seu novo espaço. Na página ao lado, a salada brasileira, que leva pupunha, pepino e beterraba.
Bel Coelho
A chef que conquistou os paladares da Europa ao valorizar a cozinha brasileira
r n u alist o j e h T Xavier Bartaburu Xavier Bartaburu started his career at the magazine Terra, where he was executive editor and published 50 articles about trips around Brazil and the world. He has also worked in the newsrooms of the magazines Prรณxima Viagem and Gosto. Nowadays, he writes for books, magazines and websites producing content which is largely connected to the dissemination of the cultural and environmental heritage of Brazil. To date, he has published 15 books. In addition to this, there are several projects like the series Guardians of Flavour, articles produced for National Geographic about biodiversity in food, and the coordination of the portal Viagem na Natureza, a website thought up by the Ministry of Tourism, and which gathers vast content about ecotour, and adventure tour destinations in Brazil. Besides being a career journalist, he is also very active in music and as a researcher of popular Brazilian traditions.
flavours and regions
BAHIA
Cocoa
PARÁ
Originally from the tropical regions of Central America,
AMAZONAS
PARÁ
Manioc to over 100 nations since the arrival of the
Guaraná
it adapted well to the climate and soil of southern
in indigenous language it means “the beginning of all
production of Brazilian cocoa. The traditional planting
Açaí
From the middle of the country, this root has spread
knowledge”. Guaraná has been cultivated for hundreds
of cocoa followed the “mata cabrucada” system
Açaí is known as “the fruit that weeps” and is very
Portuguese. It was of such importance during colonial
AMAZONAS
for more than 200 years, which involves planting
present in Brazilian folklore. The state of Pará is
times that the priest José de Anchieta baptized it as
responsible for 85% of the worldwide production of
“bread of the earth”. Manioc has a lot of history. It is
to the ancestral land of the Sateré-Mawé indigenous
Pirarucu
under the shade of trees in the Atlantic Rainforest. This system is responsible for the conservation of
açaí, and therefore, that is where everything begins.
one of the main, basic foods in the developing world
people. The fruit is used in powdered form or to
known as the Amazonian giant, it can reach 3 meters in
the biodiversity, of the soil, of the water and the
Considered by many to be an exotic delicacy, it is
and part of the staple diet of over half a billion people.
make syrups, sodas and drinks. Rich in phosphorous,
length. It is a predatory fish of the Jurassic Period and is
forest production. The grains of cocoa are known
enjoyed in several regions of Brazil and the world, and
Despite this, the variety of species will diminish, and
potassium and tannins and other vitamins. It is under
the main source of protein for the local population, the
for having 300 healthy components. Among them
can be consumed as juice or a puree, as a sweet, a jam
some wild varieties have already begun to vanish
risk of becoming extinct due to inadequate production
“ribeirinhos”, that live on the banks of the river. Due
are phenylethylamine, theobromine, and many
and ice-cream. The fruit has high energetic levels and
in the Brazilian savannah. Research that has studied
techniques and the entrance of large multinational
to predatory fishing, its survival is threatened and its
polyphenols such as flavonoids. Cocoa is a natural anti-
according to specialists, its comsumption may prevent
the region since 1970 revealed that 3 species have
companies in the production.
average size is reducing.
inflammatory, anti-allergenic and anti-carcinogen.
diseases such as cancer, diabetes and anaemia.
already disappeared.
of years in the Brazilian Amazon, in the region near the Tapajós River and the Madeira River, which corresponds
Bahia, and the region was responsible for 95% of the
flavours and regions
SÃO PAULO
MARANHÃO
South Shore Molluscs
Babassu
Oysters of Cananéia - This mangrove oyster grows in
SÃO PAULO
mangroves all along the Brazilian coast, but it is in the
SÃO PAULO
region of Cananeia (SP) that it finds one of its most of fishermen for decades, until the 70’s when it also
NCPFS (Non-Conventional Plant Foods)
became a part of ours. They are considered to be a
Considered the richest palm tree used in the Brazilian
Native Fruits of the Atlantic Rainforest
PIAUÍ
extractivist industry, babassu serves as a source of
Cashew
income for at least 400 thousand coconut breakers in Brazil. The leaf of the palm tree, which can reach
Even with all the devastation, the Atlantic Rainforest
According to researchers, there has never been a tree
a height of 20 meters, can be used to make roofs
They include native and unusual plants to the exotic
is a very specific biome, which offers a great diversity
or fruit of such importance and reach in the social
for houses and handicraft; from the stem, fertilizer
powerful aphrodisiac, can improve blood circulation, and
and wild with direct feeding use (in the form of fruit or
of fruit, unfortunately unknown to most Brazilians.
life and economy of a regional population. Cashew is
and structures for construction; from the shell of the
strengthen the bones to reduce osteoporosis. Besides, it
vegetable) and indirect (starch, cornflour and oil). Distant
Cambuci, that used to be so abundant in São Paulo
present in cuisine, literature, poetry, common sayings,
coconut, coal to feed the industry boilers; from the
can be eaten raw, cooked or roasted.
from the menu of most Brazilians, the NCPFs are found
that a neighbourhood was named after it, is tangy and
children’s games, customs, folklore and medicine. A
mesocarp, a multimixture used in child nutrition; from
Scallop – A mollusc found in several oceans and
in unlikely places, sometimes in the backyard, they grow
rich in vitamin C. Araçá tastes a bit like guava and is
native fruit of Brazil, it was taken by the Portuguese
the almond, oil can be obtained and used in food
abundantly in North America, northern Europe and Japan,
spontaneously and aren’t usually found in conventional
ideal for the recovery of degraded areas. Cambucá is
to Asia and Africa. When the cashew spread all over
and the production of fuel, lubricants and even soap.
widely enjoyed as a sophisticated food. The worldwide
markets. It is estimated that there are about 50 thousand
considered by some to be the tastiest fruit in Brazil,
the world, in its homeland the cashew trees were
According to specialists, the illegal appropriation of
extractivist production finds itself at its maximum limit.
plant foods in the world, at least 10 thousand of which
but nowadays is very rare, limited to a small stretch
replaced, first by sugarcane plantations and later
land by large corporations and the increase in the
In the internal market, the availability of scallops is
are in Brazil. Their gradual elimination from the daily
of its natural environment that has survived. Uvaia,
by urban growth. For many years, the possibilities
cultivation of soy by large monocultural industries is
minimal due to the fact that there isn’t enough in stock
menu was a result of a lack of diversity in conventional
which is also tangy, can be consumed raw, in juices or
of profitable, economic exploit of the cashew were
threatening the survival of the production of coconut
to support a significant extractivist activity.
agriculture, which limits the current diet to a few species.
jams, and is widely used in reforestation projects.
ignored on Brazilian soil.
and babassu.
important shelters. It was an exclusive item of thousands
c a t e r rs a h C
Afonso Miquiles
Indian chief and Guaraná producer. Andirá-Marau, AM
Agnaldo Coutinho Oysters producer. Cananéia, SP
Gabriel Divino de Mesquita, seu Bié Baru nut producer. Pirenópolis, GO
Iracy Batista
Guaraná producer. Andirá-Marau, AM(4)
Íris dos Santos Umbu producer. Uauá, BA
Sérgio Garcia
Guaraná producer. Andirá-Marau, AM
r o g u k n c d a B
Manioc - Bragança, PA
Cashew - Vale dos Pico, PI
Oysters - Cananéia, SP
Açaí - Igarapé-Miri, PA
Babassu - Lago do Junco, MA
r o g u k n c d a B
Cocoa – Ilhéus, BA
Guaraná – Sateré-Mawé, AM
Scallop – Picinguaba, SP
NCPFS (Non-Conventional Plant Foods) Viveiro Sabor de Fazenda, SP
Pirarucu - Instituto Mamirauá, AM
R
timetable for the production
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GUARDIANS OF FLAVOR (10 EPS) MONTH 1 1
SEARCH AND SCRIPT PRE-PRODUCTION PRODUCTION POST PRODUCTION
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MONTH 2 4
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MONTH 3 4
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MONTH 4 4
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MONTH 5 4
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MONTH 6 4
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MONTH 7 4
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