July In Bloom
As I take inventory of the last two years since starting The Rio Kitchen, I pause to celebrate, to plan, and to charge forward. Who's with me?
After searching for cookbooks to bring my native foods to my American kitchen, I failed to find one in English. So I set out on a path to write that very book, with Brazilian-inspired recipes for those living abroad. In June 2023, the first directive was to start with building my community.
When I created The Rio Kitchen’s Instagram, I intended to hide behind a beautiful, thoughtful brand brought to life by the watercolor art of my dear friend Rachel Rogers. As things unfolded, it became clear that my story was at its core and I would have to get cozy with a camera to share it. It was terrifying, and I have footage to prove how awkward I was (and definitely still am btw). At the time I was struggling with the confidence to put myself at the center of the project, and the fear of publicly sharing the raw emotional moment I was living, was real.
So far the journey has filled me more than the destination it was meant to meet likely ever will. For the first time in my immigrant life I feel connected to my culture. For the first time, I have IRL Brazilian friends to enjoy a cafezinho with. And for the first time in adulthood, I have made new Brazilian friends, in Rio and virtually, creating a community around the pieces of my culture that I want to share with the world.
As we evolve, some changes are slowly rolling out, like an update to the name that will allow for easier shareability to those just entering a carioca world. Rachel’s art continues to adorn this universe, and beautiful new things are being painted as we speak! And yet, a new change happened today on Instagram that may seem small, and may go unnoticed. For me, it is a huge step to owning this brand as part of my identity, and officially making my identity part of this brand.
I still struggle with the confidence in what I am doing and if I will ever get there (and where is there anyway?). The fear of publicly sharing my food, my art, and my life, is still real. But in reconnecting with my Brazilian-ness, I found myself. And in myself I found the courage to keep moving and slowly turn up my creative voice. In 2025, I have been working tirelessly on professional development in areas that I want to grow, like my writing and my cooking. Now, I’m ready to build on everything we have grown as a community so far.
The next month holds ✨BIG✨ surprises, including a new series here on Substack and a HUGE development in my mission to put Brazilian food in a broader culinary conversation. That cookbook still looms on the horizon, but in the meantime, there is so much to enjoy on its path. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here with me.
With love,
Camille
PS: Since I started a few cookbooks have been released and there are two more Brazilian chefs working on theirs. We are coming to American cookbook shelves slowly but surely!
I am an aspiring minimalist and champion of things analog, but with intention, we can surround ourselves with objects and content that pull us into upward spirals in our daily life. This section is for things that made me happier this month.
I just spent a magical week basking in the summer glory of New England in Connecticut. The best seafood feast and winning lobster roll duo was found at 374 Kitchen + Cocktails, and the seafood market I wish I had known about on day 1 was Flanders. The town of Mystic is adorable and we loved the Seaport Museum with so much for kids to enjoy indoors and out. In the interest of shopping locally I also visited the Fiddleheads Co-op for a few provisions. Waterford Beach was a great spot for a more natural beach setting, but note that non residents can only enter on weekdays.
Just in time for summer I received a lovely gift from Lola From Rio. With all the pool and ocean time it’s nice to give hair a little extra love. I’m very excited to add this vegan, cruelty-free brand made in Brazil with responsibly sourced ingredients to my routine!
Summer markets abound and I can’t keep up with all the tomatoes, peaches, plums, and produce I want to cook with. I recently visited the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market and then posted about what to do with all your summer peaches.
I wore the perfect outfit by EMI Rio on this market day and have added a few EMI looks to my Brazilian brands board on ShopMy since they also ship to the US!
I’ve been releasing reels from Rio and have loved every minute of going through these and sharing them. So far this season:
-An amazing vegetarian gastronomic experience at Brota
-A profile of me and this project that makes me emocionada by Balaco Rio
-A Q&A with Aline of Balaco Rio, a friend I am so glad to have made and share so many things in common with (including a zodiac sign)
-A quintessential Carioca seafood experience at Labuta Mar
View them all grouped in our highlights on Instagram here.
On the next episode…
The next episode is super special and will be out next week! I challenged renowned Chef Flavia Quaresma to cook for me. Can you guess what I asked her to make? Stay tuned on Instagram next week to cook with us in her carioca kitchen.
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