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"We were born from the smoke of a visionary Pará native’s cooking pot - a man who loved his land and its flavors. He saw, before almost anyone else, the value of Amazonian cuisine. Not only did he see it, but also he acted. He acted so that Brazil and the world could see it too. In doing so, he connected, enchanted, and inspired a delicious transformation in Brazilian gastronomy”.


We are the Paulo Martins Institute.

Hailing from Belém, Pará,
We are a Hub of Knowledge on Amazonian Food and Culture.

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We work in:

 

✅ Content creation and curatorship for education, communication, and event projects;

✅ Knowledge dissemination through formal and informal education for diverse audiences;

✅ Bridging connections between the Amazon, Brazil, and the world—linking people and projects;

✅ Economic and cultural empowerment;

✅ Policy advocacy in support of Amazonian food and the people who live in the region.

 

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As a nonprofit organization, our ultimate goal is to promote healthier, more sustainable, and authentically Brazilian food-generating positive social and environmental impact with strengthening cultural heritage in the Amazon and across Brazil.

Who Was Paulo Martins?

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Paulo de Araújo Leal Martins (1946–2010) was a Brazilian chef and proud son of the Amazon, deeply passionate about the flavors and food culture of the region. A visionary, he invested in food-based socio-bioeconomics long before the concept even be present. Since the 1990s, he dedicated himself to promoting cuisine of Pará and ensuring it became a bridge connecting the Amazon to the rest of Brazil, understanding gastronomy as cultural pride and a driver of local development.

He was a founding partner and head chef of “Restaurante Lá em Casa” in Belém, Pará (1972–2021) and created the Festival Ver-o-Peso da Cozinha Paraense, a pioneering event that helped establish Belém as a culinary destination.

 

Martins influenced and mentored many of Brazil’s top chefs today and created now-classic Pará dishes such as:

  • Arroz de jambu (Jambu rice)
  • Hadoque paraense (Pará-style haddock)
  • Ravioli de maniçoba (Maniçoba ravioli)
  • Muçuã de botequim (Bar-style muçuã*)
  • Arroz paraense (Pará-style rice)
  • Arroz de pato no tucupi (Duck rice with tucupi)

       *Small turtle from amazon region

His relentless efforts to promote traditional recipes helped iconic Pará ingredients like tucupi, jambu and cupuaçu gain nationwide recognition, eventually appearing in high-gastronomy restaurants and cooking shows across Brazil.

Informally recognized as the "Ambassador of Pará Cuisine," he was posthumously honored by Brazil’s Ministry of Culture with the Order of Cultural Merit (Commentator) in 2014.

Further Reading:

Paulo Martins by Josimar Melo
https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/ilustrad/fq1109201027.htm

Paulo Martins by Alex Atala
https://www.prazeresdamesa.com.br/heranca-de-paulo-martins/

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Key Achievements

 

Events

Curatorship / Production / Execution

 

  • Ver-o-Peso Festival of Pará Cuisine (2012–2018, returning in 2025)
  • 1st Free Conference on Amazonian Gastronomy (2013)
  • "Pará on the Plate" (2014)
  • "É PANC – Amazon Discovers the Amazon" (2017)

 

Publications

 

  • Culinária Papa-Chibé, Vol. 1 (*Papa-Chibé Cuisine, Vol. 1)
  • Memórias de um Piloto de Fogão (Memoirs of a "Stove Pilot") – [Note: "Piloto de Fogão" is a poetic term for a chef; "Stove Pilot" preserves the metaphor]
  • Caderno de Colorir – Frutas Amazônicas (Coloring Book – Amazonian Fruits)
  • Festival Ver-o-Peso da Cozinha Paraense 2012 – 10 Anos (*Ver-o-Peso Festival of Pará Cuisine 2012 – 10th Anniversary)

Policy Advocacy

 

  • Design and execution of the Global Center for Gastronomy and Biodiversity (Conception and executive Project)
  • Advocacy for the official recognition of gastronomy (food culture) as a cultural sector by Brazil’s Ministry of Culture, achieved during the 3rd National Culture Conference, which resulted in Ordinance Nº. 22, March 12, 2014.
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Content Development

 

  • 32-Page textual research and content development for the State of Pará Gastronomic Tourism Guide.
  • Application Dossier for Belém UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
  • Authorship of the Northern Chapter in the cookbook ‘Brazilian Biodiversity: Flavors and Aromas’, part of the Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Project (BFN).
    • BFN is a global initiative by the FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organization) and UN Environment Program.
    • In Brazil, the project was lead by the Ministry of Environment - MMA (Ministério do Meio Ambiente).

Culinary Arts & Gastronomy Programs

 

CUIA - Immersive Amazonian Cuisine
The first comprehensive Amazonian culinary program (72 hours)

Culinary Fundamentals
(24-hour introductory course)

Broca Pai D'Égua
Professional training for traditional Amazonian cooks: Food safety standards & classic recipes (16 hours)

Specialized Workshops

• Traditional Pará Cuisine (10 hours)
• Amazonian Fish: Butchery & Cooking Techniques (10 hours)
• Indigenous Kitchen: The Roots of Amazonian Food Culture (4 hours)
• Beyond Filhote*: Exploring Amazonian Fish Varieties (4 hours)
• Authentic Pará-Style Sandwiches (10 hours)

*Amazonian typical river water fish