Our Guides

Marcela

Marcela is a Paulista (native of São Paulo) who found her spiritual home in Rio. When she‘s not running food tours, she’s spreading the word about great Brazilian wines as a sommelier in one of Rio’s best restaurants.

Marcela speaks fluent Portuguese and English, and brings a unique energy, passion and sense of fun to her food tours.

Gabriel

Gabriel is our one true Carioca! Born and raised in Rio’s Zona Norte (North Zone), Gabriel works as a confectioner, specializing in traditional Brazilian sweets and chocolates. He is also studying law and works as a general tour guide in his spare time (how does he have any spare time with all that going on?!).

Gabriel speaks fluent Portuguese and English.

Tom

Tom grew up in southern England but travelled through Europe, Africa and Australasia during his childhood and teenage years. This upbringing left him with a thirst for adventure, both on the road and in the kitchen! In 2009 Tom decided it was time to shake life up a bit! He quit his job in London and spent the next year exploring Latin America. After travelling from Patagonia to Mexico, Tom eventually settled in Rio de Janeiro in 2010.

The following year Tom founded the website Eat Rio, a place to share all his discoveries about his adopted home. The website grew steadily and then, in 2013, food tours started happening! Today Tom works as a freelance food and travel writer (Lonely Planet, National Geographic, TimeOut) and manages Eat Rio. He also still goes out on the odd food tour when he can find time :)

Ingrid

Ingrid is European - she was born near Paris of a German mother and a Vietnamese father and lived in England, Germany, Australia and Brazil. Her mixed background gave her a taste for exploring new countries along with their culinary delights. She has travelled through Europe, Asia and Oceania. In 2009, she quit the financial services world in London and, after more travel adventures, finally settled down in the Rio in 2010.

Ingrid speaks fluent Portuguese, English, German, French and Spanish and also works as an education, communications and PR professional.

Joy

Joy is from Rio de Janeiro, but has been sharing her time between Germany and Brazil since 2014 (every summer she returns to Rio to escape harsh Berlin winters!). She has a master’s degree in sociology, and owns her own beachwear brand produced in Brazil and based in Berlin. She has travelled through Latin America, Southern Africa and Europe, and has lived in Northern Italy and Berlin. She speaks fluent Portuguese, English and Italian, and is a trained bartender.

Bindu

Bindu is Canadian, British, Indian and French (and as she’s been living in Rio for over 15 years, I think we can add Brazilian to the list!). She is a professional foodie and television producer (her credits include being the producer for Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations: Rio). She has also taught Indian cooking classes to Brazilians, and worked as a consultant chef to local restaurants.

She speaks English, French and Portuguese, and runs the award-winning guest house Casa Beleza, where she loves passing on tips to guests on the best way to enjoy Rio!