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Executive Chef Rodrigo Mezadri Takes Us Behind the Scenes of Canvas: A Hilton Sao Paolo Morumbi Restaurant and Art Gallery

Hilton Careers Team

25 January 2023

United States, Canada, Caribbean, Latin AmericaHilton cultureTeam Member stories

Hilton Executive Chef, Rodrigo Mezadri, began his career as a kitchen apprentice at the Hilton Sao Paolo Morumbi. As his culinary career progressed, he traveled the world cooking, teaching, and gaining exposure to diverse cultures and cuisines. In 2015, Rodrigo returned to Hilton Sao Paolo Morumbi where he was quickly promoted to Executive Chef of Canvas, a Michelin Guide indicated restaurant and rotating art gallery.

Join Chef Rodrigo as he takes us behind the scenes at Canvas, highlighting the art, the food, and the Team Member creativity that work in harmony to provide guests with a one-of-a-kind, world-class dining experience.

THE RESTAURANT

“Canvas is a restaurant where art meets food — the plates are the “canvas” for the chefs, and the “ink” is the ingredients that we carefully handcraft to provide the guests a holistic art experience” — Chef Rodrigo Mezadri “Canvas is a unique restaurant because, in addition to being Michelin-rated, it contains an itinerant art gallery, curated by young painters and artists. The restaurant really embraces guests, providing an amazing experience where every part of dining – from food to service — is thoughtful. Everything in the restaurant is meant to be art! For example, our plates are mindfully created by a local ceramist to connect the food with the art. The butter in our couverte is served in an aluminum ink tube to remind guests of the ink that painters use to create their paintings.”

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THE ART

“We have a partnership with a painting school and gallery in Sao Paulo, allowing us to change the art displayed at Canvas every three months. In addition to the paintings, we have a special menu called “The Artist Menu” that is crafted by the Chef in partnership with the painter who is curating the gallery. We develop “The Artist Menu” following the personal tastes of the painter.”

THE MENU

“Canvas is a Brazilian-Italian fusion restaurant with a menu based on locally sourced ingredients and heritages. We always source the freshest ingredients, and we work with small suppliers — many of whom started with Canvas as their first client. For example, one of our bestsellers is a burrata dish where all the ingredients are locally sourced, even the olive oil. The microgreens used in the dish are cultivated less than five miles from the hotel, and they come from the biggest urban vertical farm in Latin America. We usually change the standard menu twice a year, but every time we find a new ingredient or product via our small, local suppliers, we create a new dish featuring the item and add it to the menu as a special addition. Every time we revise and curate the Canvas menu, we are mindful that each plate should connect the food with the art currently on display. The menu must create a WOW feeling. Visually, we start with the primary colors in our chinaware, and then the secondary colors come from the ingredients we use to create the dish. Through this method, we can reflect art in each dish that comes out of the kitchen.” After seven amazing and successful years at Canvas Restaurant, Chef Rodrigo has recently transferred to Hilton West Palm Beach. In closing, he shares, “Culinary is ALL ABOUT PASSION! I like to say that ‘I don’t have a typical job; I just get to come to the kitchen to have fun every day.’ Hilton is so unique, and it is the best company to work for — it is a place where you can be yourself and see your ideas flourish.” Are you interested in learning more about Hilton’s Food & Beverage and Culinary teams? Click here to view our world-class benefits, read more Team Member stories, and apply for jobs.
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