Mara Rocha Mello & Maramello Pâtisserie

After graduating in 1991 from Pontificia Catholic University in São Paulo, Mara Mello went on to Europe to study Advanced Business Administration at Bell College, then Brooks University and finally Oxford Academy in England.  Upon returning to Brazil in 1994, she became the general manager of Brunela Confectionary Corporation and then became the production manager of CIA Gastronomical Events in 1995.  She also decided at that point that she wanted to be a pastry chef and not an administrator, so later that year she began her apprenticeship as an assistant pastry chef at Roanne Restaurant in São Paulo.

In 1996, she moved to New York City to be assistant pastry chef at The Raphael, then Chantrelle restaurants, followed by NOBU. She then attended the culinary arts program at the New York Restaurant School.  In 1997 she attended Peter Kump’s pastry and baking arts program, before joining Great Chef François Payard’s French Bistro and Pastry Shop. She finished out the year at Restaurant Le Cirque as assistant pastry chef.

In December of 1998, Chef Mello moved back to São Paulo to open her own pastry shop, Café Pâtisserie.  In November of 1999, the Great Chefs television crew showed up to tape Mara Mello at Café Pâtisserie for the Discovery Channel’s Great Chefs of the World television series.

Since then, she has moved the restaurant location once, and in 2016 is still creating high-end confections at Maramello Pâtisserie for the retail and wholesale trade.

Address : R. Maria Rosa, 49 – Itaim Bibi, São Paulo – SP, 01453-080, Brazil