Menu led by Rui Morschel featured traditional Brazilian dishes and ingredients from southern Brazil during international mission
By Pedro Augusto
What connects a production engineer who once worked in the financial market to a traditional Brazilian dinner served to Canadian business leaders and diplomats in Montreal? In the case of Rui Morschel, the answer lies in his passion for cooking and his appreciation for food culture. It was this career shift — marked by a series of promotions at banks early in his professional journey — that transformed him into a renowned figure in Brazil’s gastronomy sector and led to his invitation to showcase his work at SIAL Canada 2026, one of the largest food exhibitions in North America.
At the invitation of Invest Paraná, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Brazil-Canada (CCBC) and the Consulate General of Brazil in Montreal, the Paraná-born chef led the opening dinner of the Brazilian mission held during SIAL. The event brought together around 90 guests, including business executives, trade representatives, diplomats, and local media.
The dinner was designed to transform Brazilian products into an experience. Every dish served incorporated ingredients presented by companies participating in the trade mission. The idea was not only to showcase the country’s flavors, but also to demonstrate the potential of Brazilian products in the international market. “My role was to present the product, highlight its value, make people enjoy the food, and also demonstrate how these ingredients can be used,” the chef explained.
The menu was conceived as a gastronomic journey through Brazil. Among the dishes served were feijoada fritters, carne de onça — a traditional dish from Curitiba — shared moqueca, and escondidinho topped with cassava purée. Jams, wildflower honey, breaded shrimp, and plant-based cheeses were also incorporated into the recipes.
According to the chef, the creative process began with selecting dishes considered iconic within Brazilian cuisine. Adaptations and connections with the ingredients brought by the participating companies came afterward.
Feijoada, for example, was transformed into a starter and served as a bite-sized fritter. The moqueca was presented as a shared dish among guests, reinforcing the sense of collectivity that is deeply rooted in Brazilian food culture.
Originally trained as a production engineer, Rui decided to change careers after participating in a televised cooking reality show in 2018. Since then, he has produced content focused on gastronomy, tourism, and food culture, with special attention to Paraná and Brazil’s geographical indication products.
Today, the chef works to promote regional products and participates in initiatives that showcase Brazilian gastronomy both domestically and abroad. “When you see someone trying a feijoada fritter without ever having eaten beans before, or discovering cassava for the first time, you realize the richness of our gastronomy,” he said.
For Rui, experiences like the one held in Canada also help Brazilians themselves recognize the value of their national food culture. “First, we need to value our own culture and get to know what is close to us,” he said. “That habit helps amplify the good things we have to other places as well,” he concluded.
