Classic technique.
Brazilian soul.

Chef Cinthia

Cinthia Garmhausen de Souza. Born in Bahia, trained in California.

I grew up in Juazeiro, a small river town in the north of Bahia, Brazil. Cross the bridge and you are in a different state.

My grandmother was a professional cook. She cooked for the military, and she is still the best cook I have ever known. Every morning before she left for work I watched her in the kitchen. When she retired early, her mornings went to barbecue, desserts, and bread for the family.

Brasa is the Portuguese word for live coals. There was always a brasa going in our kitchen. We cooked the old way, meat set close to the coals, and the smell of smoke, fat, and salt coming together is something I have carried through my whole career.

The dish I still measure everything against is her fish stew. A neighbor who fished the river would bring the fish over still moving. She would cut it up right there and build a stew with vegetables, oil, and spices until the flavor was almost too much. It is still the greatest thing I have ever eaten, and it is the flavor I want to bring into your home.

I trained in Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management at Mt. San Jacinto College, and I cook Brazilian, Mediterranean, Italian, and French food.

I chose private dining over restaurants because restaurant work is impersonal, and serving people is one of my love languages. I cook better for people I know. When I understand your tastes and who is sitting at your table, the food gets better.

When the dinner ends, I want you to feel like you traveled somewhere without leaving your living room.

You bring the flavors you already love. I bring a new culture to the table, and for a few hours you are a little closer to a place you have been wanting to go.