“If you want to be universal, start by painting your own village”. This Tolstoy’s quote has always been the inspiration and essence of Tuju.
Located in the heart of Vila Madalena, Tuju is captained by Ivan Ralston and it carries even in its name the gastronomic concept that drives the restaurant. Tuju is the name of a bird that lives in the Atlantic forest, green ecosystem which extends across São Paulo state, the reason of giving this name to a
“paulistana” contemporary cuisine restaurant.
At Tuju, Ivan and his crew create dishes to honor the different immigrant encounters that only São Paulo can arouse by gathering so many nationalities. The creations at the restaurant have influence of Japanese, Italian, Spanish, Jewish cultures and moreover influence from other parts of Brazil like the north, northeast and south.
Despite all this mix, Tuju researches and works mainly with local ingredients to generate work to small producers across the state of São Paulo. A good convergence between worldwide influences with local production makes Tuju’s cuisine contemporary and “paulistana” at the same time.
In 2018, Tuju conquered its second Michelin star, an incentive for more research investment. A countless number of experiments with local ingredients are made daily and more than 200 species of unconventional edible plants are cultivated at the restaurant place – all vegetation at Tuju is edible. From this research come out 4 season menu (12 courses) and the 10 market menus (monthly, 5 courses) the restaurant presents every year.
The creativeness of Tuju extends to the drinks served at the restaurant with many unconventional edible plants in them; the wine list also abets the origin, with a meticulous selection of Brazilian wines and also labels representative of different places of the world. The same dedication is given on attendance
service to 11 tables in our dining room.
Service:
Tuju Restaurant
Rua Fradique Coutinho 1248 – São Paulo – Brasil
CHEF IVAN RALSTON
Graduated in music by Berklee College (USA) and in gastronomy by Escuela de Hostelería Hofmann (ES), the chef Ivan Ralston has always been an enthusiast of cooking and its ingredients. In 2014, he imagined and opened his own restaurant in the city of São Paulo.
At Tuju, he aims to work with local ingredients and not very obvious ones, which has made him cultivate his own vegetables garden and also search for new local suppliers. He has received many awards, among them Michelin and the 50th Best of Latin America.
SERVICE HOURS
Tuesday- Friday
7:30pm – 11:00pm
Saturday and Holidays
1:00pm – 4:00pm
7:30pm – 11:00pm
5 courses menu: R$190,00
5 courses menu with pairing: R$290,00
12 courses menu: R$ 390,00
12 courses menu with pairing: R$ 550,00