Great British Menu contestant Caroline Martins is the Brazilian chef in Manchester creating fusion dishes that look like something out of a fairy tale.
From edible candles made from beef fat to desserts disguised as the archetypal poisonous toadstool known as fly agaric, appearance and reality diverge on the plate at her Ancoats’ fusion pop-up The São Paulo Project.
Now, as well as sending foodies flocking to Blossom Street Social and Exhibition MCR, she’s appearing on our TV screens this week in the North West heat of BBC Two’sGreat British Menu – representing Manchester as one of four regional contestants.
Image: The Manc Eats
This will be her second appearance on the show, following on from her 2022 debut where she faced off against fellow North West chefs Dave Critchley, Sam Lomas and Stevie Lamb.
Playful as ever, her 2022 Great British Menu dishes will paid homage to her favourite BBC shows, including Monty Python and Red Dwarf.
ADVERTISEMENT
When does Great British Menu North West heat air on BBC Two?
Series 18 of the professional cheffing competition airs on BBC Two from Tuesday 31 January at 8pm, and will be screened every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night for the following eight weeks.
This year, the North West heat starts on Tuesday 21 February.
Who is 2022 Great British Menu chef Caroline Martins?
Born in Barretos, Brazil, Caroline Martins spent her twenties training and then working as a physicist to fulfill her family’s ambitions, before making the switch to cheffing in a curveball career move.
Originally hailing from the “Brazilian Texas”, she always wanted to cook but in her early years felt this was not an option. Instead, she moved to nearby São Paulo to complete a science degree, a masters, and then a doctorate in Plasma Physics.
After graduating with her Ph.D., she first worked as a theoretical physicist in Cadarache, France, then took a role as a researcher at The University of Texas, Austin, but spent most of her time waiting for the day to finish so that she could go and explore her true passion: cooking.
ADVERTISEMENT
As she neared thirty, she took the plunge and after some encouragement from friends applied to Brazilian MasterChef – drawn in by the prize, which was to study at European culinary school Le Cordon Bleu.
She didn’t win, but her savings enabled her to travel to study at the London school anyway. Scrimping to get by, she opted to take the intensive six-month course – working six days a week, living in a flat with ten other people, sharing a bedroom and getting up at 5am to shower in order to fulfill her lifelong dream.
Caroline Martins first kitchen job after graduating from Le Cordon Bleu took her to Hotel Castel in Tyrol on the Austrian border, where she studied under Thomas Kostner. / Image: Caroline Martins
Caroline Martins CV, career and Michelin star experience
Caroline Martins’ first job after graduating from Le Cordon Bleu took her to Italy, where she spent six months at two Michelin star Trenkerstube at Hotel Castel in Tyrol, on the Austrian border.
Working for free in exchange for bed, board and (most importantly) Michelin star kitchen experience, she graduated with her diploma on the Saturday and by 7am on Monday had already started work.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hoping to practise her Italian, she was surprised to find everyone there spoke German and relied heavily on Google Translate to get her through.
Upon returning to London, she worked in a number of esteemed restaurants including the theatrical two-star Kitchen Table at Bubbledogs in Fitzrovia and one-star dining rooms Galvin La Chapelle and Pied à terre.
Hand-dived scallop, cassava mousseline, heart of palm and dehydrated papaya seed at The São Paulo Project. / Image: The Manc Eats
A beef fat ‘candle’ served at The São Paulo Project as part of the Bread Course, alongside caramelised onion butter and Calabrese sausage brioche rolls. / Image: The Manc Eats
The São Paulo Project in Ancoats, Manchester
Caroline is now focused on bringing haute Brazilian cuisine to the UK with her São Paulo Project, undertaking a three-month residency at Ancoats wine bar Blossom Street Social in 2022 before launching her Sao Paulo Bistro at Exhibition MCR.
Here, she’s fusing Brazilian ingredients like heart of palm and guava with local produce from independent Mancunian suppliers in an exciting fine dining-style menu.
Putting a modern twist on dishes found across the 26 states of Brazil, she’s showing diners that Brazilian gastronomy is more than just steakhouses and feijoada. She has also just announced the return of her Sao Paulo Project at Blossom Street Social, this time with a more casual twist.
ADVERTISEMENT
Her ultimate ambition is to open the first Brazilian fine dining restaurant in England. Currently, there is only one in the world to be found outside of Brazil, the Parisian restaurant Oka. Navigating between France and Brazil, last year it attained its first Michelin star.
Mental health charity Mind respond to government’s ‘overdiagnosed’ comments and benefit cuts
Danny Jones
UK charity Mind has issued an extensive statement reflecting on the government’s impending benefit cuts and, more specifically, their comments that mental health conditions are being ‘overdiagnosed’.
Mind, the largest mental health charity in the country which raises tens of millions for related illnesses every year, has been left understandably troubled by the recent news that the Labour Party intends to scale back the level of welfare support that millions of Brits receive on a regular basis.
Most notably, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced in the House of Commons that the number of people claiming personal independence payment (PIP) is “not sustainable” and, therefore, eligibility will be made more stringent.
Responding in a number of posts this week, Mind has reiterated their belief that “our mental health is getting worse” and that “cutting benefits is short-sighted”, arguing instead that the “UK government needs to shift focus and tackle the real barriers to employment.” You can see two lengthy replies below:
As you can see, not only does Mind staunchly disagree with the government’s stance but they believe that in addition to the problematic wait times and ever-mounting pressure on services like the NHS, “rhetoric like this is dangerous” and fundamentally “stops people getting support” when they need it.
In a separate post on social media, the charity continued: “Behind the headlines and the stigmatising language about disability benefits are real people – millions of them. People who are scared about what this news might mean for their day-to-day lives.”
“If that’s you, know this: you are not alone. We see you. We hear you. These changes, if they do happen, won’t come in immediately. And we will not stop fighting until the benefits system is fair, compassionate, and works for those of us with mental health problems.”
And Mind has made a real impact on mental health services in recent decades, generating over £42.9 million between 2023 and 2024 alone, whilst providing frontline support to countless people in crisis online, over the phone and in person daily.
The organisation’s associate director of policy and campaigns, Minesh Patel, spoke to BBC Breakfast on Monday, 17 March about what they feel are more pressing issues and obstacles preventing people from getting into and staying in employment.
Even prior to the welfare crackdown – which is hoping to save the UK economy an estimated £5 billion – being announced, Mind responded to early reports of the cutbacks in kind.
“The government’s solution: blame us, and punish us by taking away our financial safety net”, they wrote. “Cutting benefits isn’t the way to support people with mental health problems into work – it will only push more people into poverty and shift costs elsewhere. It doesn’t solve the problem.
They summed up things by adding: “If the government wants real change, it has to improve employment support, tackle workplace stigma, and make sure people aren’t stuck on mental health waiting lists for years.”
It goes without saying that if you need mental health support, you can call Mind’s Manchester arm on 0161 769 5732 or get in touch with them online; alternatively, you can use the NHS’ mental health services such as Manchester Talking Therapies and the 111 number.
As for questions surrounding how these government changes to welfare benefits and mental health support might apply to you, Mind have also put together a helpful breakdown HERE.
Featured Images — Sky News (screenshot via YouTube)/Malcolmxl5 (via Wikimedia Commons)
News
Manchester’s Cat Cafe issues lengthy response to anti-industry statement
Danny Jones
Manchester’s soon-to-return Cat Cafe has shared a lengthy statement responding to the recent suggestion made by leading animal charities that their particular line of business should become a thing of the past.
Cat Cafe Manchester (CCM) closed its city centre premises back in January 2021 like so many others suffering from the post-pandemic struggle, but there are still several other feline-focused coffee shops and similar set-ups located up and down the country.
With that in mind and after the Manchester location announced a comeback later this year – in a prime location on Deansgate, no less – the discussion surrounding the niche industry has turned to issues regarding animal rights, welfare and overall quality of life.
However, rather than simply firing back at the likes of the RSPCA and Cats Protection over their concerns and belief that these venues should be “phased out”, the company has come out to agree with their overarching point whilst still assuring that their sites “are different”.
As you can see in an extensive reply, the brand begins by writing: “We are in strong agreement that there needs to be more regulation in the industry, as we believe many cafes are operating in manners that are harmful to cats.”
They detail how they don’t support ventures that operate by simply piggybacking on vital animal rescue procedures, citing that around 90% of the UK’s cat cafes simply ship prospective pets in and out, creating a stressful environment for its furry residents.
In contrast, Cat Cafe MCR go on to insist that “cats in our cafes are pedigree, as they are best suited to an indoor-only environment [as opposed to rescues who often benefit from outdoor time], and they are bred for temperament, meaning our cats need a lot of attention from people, and also enjoy the company of other cats.
“Our cafes have windows for natural light and there is plenty of space off the cafe floor for cats to get away from customers. They are provided with enough resources spread out throughout a very large building to reduce any competitive behaviour. Our cats are never ever kept in cages – as is the case in some Cat Cafes.”
CCM also explained how the behaviour of their in-house cats is analysed weekly, adding that “if we feel any cat in our cafe is not happy and is showing signs of stress, we would immediately remove them from the environment.”
Besides the obvious soothing quality of the experience for regular customers, cafes like theirs and the canine equivalent CuppaPug in Salford are extremely helpful in providing animal-assisted therapy for people struggling with mental health conditions and those categorised as neurodiverse.
Cat Cafe drew their response to a close by inviting both of the charities in question to work with them in creating new guidelines and strict rules when it comes to animal welfare in these spaces.
They concluded by declaring that not only are they “incredibly difficult to run responsibly” when done properly but that “Cat Cafes are not all the same, and they should not be opened without serious thought and consideration for the cats’ welfare.”
We are still unclear as to when exactly Cat Cafe Manchester will reopen but all we know is that the team will be as dedicated to providing an enjoyable experience for both the animals and visitors when it does.
Georgina Pellant -
21st February 2023 
