Alessandra Montagne, the virtuoso chef offering sunny Brazilian cuisine in Paris

Were there any key factors in your life that led to your love of cooking? I grew up on a farm in Brazil, around a wooden fireplace that was lit from five in the morning until bedtime. As there was no electricity, it was the fireplace that made everything: cheese, breakfast, coffee, lunch and snacks. Preparing meals was a moment of great joy every time. I loved that moment with all the women in the village: one peeling a carrot, one cutting a gumbo, another skinning a chicken… We were all there, telling each other things and having a laugh. It was all good fun, and for me that’s wha...