About Sandra

Sandra was born in the Bahia region of northern Brazil and was introduced to the kitchen at a young age while assisting her mother in her small bed and breakfast. She learned about fresh foods from her father who operated a fruit market. Here began her exposure to healthy eating as they prepared foods, they had grown ourselves. Her Brazilian cuisine draws on her culture that all meals, no matter how large or how small, are special events among family and friends. Sandra holds bachelor in International Relations, but food always was her passion. She became a food educator for kids and adults, highlighting the ingredients and diversity of the Americas.

“I would like to bring to the Pacific Northwest our real Brazilian food, from my childhood, from my roots, using what we used to eat at home such as cassava, okra, coconut, and palm oil. We have beautiful and colorful food with influences of Indigenous, Portuguese and Africans. The state where I was born, in Bahia, describes this mixture of three cultures very well.”

She was featured on Evening Magazine king5.com during International Women’s Day, March 10, 2021, and during the World Food Day Celebration in October 2021. She was also featured on New Day Northwest on August 16, 2022, sharing her recipe for farofa and an iconic Brazilian cocktail.