Chef Alessandra Montagne has a quiet confidence about her as she moves through a new role as the head chef in the kitchen and dining parlor of Cícero in November 2024. Montagne is the first Afro-Brazilian chef to take the helm at the eatery, which is part restaurant and part enclave for journalists, artists, locals, ambassadors, and the like who enjoy elevated yet relatable cuisine.
Love of art, people and hospitality all converge at the tables of Cícero, founded by art collector Paulo Dalla Nora Macêdo and co-founder Ana Carolina Silva. The dining parlor of this bustling neighborhood in Lisbon’s Campo de Ourique is surrounded by Macêdo’s private collection of modernist art from Brazil’s famed painter Cícero Dias.
Chef Montagne says detailed curation and a love of art make this Brazilian restaurant in Lisbon different. Sharing inspiration for the newly crafted menu at Cícero, she says, “The challenge was (and is) to create a menu inspired by the work of Cícero Dias, a Brazilian modernist artist who was born in Brazil but lived most of his life in Paris.”
She continues, “As well as being inspired by his work, which is also on display on the restaurant walls, making it a very special place since it offers an immersion in art (not only by Cícero Dias but also by other artists). What I try to translate at the table is the journey of my own history and that of Cícero, who, for different reasons, took us from Brazil to France, but also with a strong connection to Portugal. As well as the art itself, I’m inspired by the colours, the local products and the nuances that Lisbon brings in order to create a unique experience for those who visit us.”
Inspiration and Culinary Journey in Europe
Montagne grew up in Poté, a municipality in the northeast state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. Her upbringing fuels her drive to dream big and reach her goals. She moved to France at 22 with hopes of mastering the language.
Her culinary career, which spans two decades, includes successful endeavors as a chef and restaurant owner in France, garnering the support of French culinary giants in the industry—a compliment that few can lay claim to or brag about.
The Brazilian chef describes herself as resilient, determined and gentle. These qualities are evident when you dine at her table. Whether you are in Paris at one of her two restaurants, Nosso and Tempero, or Lisbon, her dishes are crafted with “love.”
“I’d say that more than the influence of my culinary career, it’s my own life journey that inspires me in everything. I am one person. My personal story blends with my professional life; they are inseparable,” she says excitedly.
“I left Brazil for personal reasons, and it was in France that I discovered cookery as a professional affirmation. It was cooking that saved me. It was cooking that allowed me to get back on my feet as a woman, a mum, a professional, and it was this strength that led me to set goals, that encouraged me to discover my own creativity.”
By Margo Gabriel
