Tuju

Three Unique / Unconventional Aspects of Tuju, São Paulo

1. Multi-Floor Progressive Dining Experience with a Focus on Hospitality
Tuju is uniquely designed across three distinct floors, each serving a different purpose: the main dining area with an open kitchen on the second floor and a large bar with a view on the third floor. This architectural and experiential layout supports a progressive dining journey, emphasizing exceptional hospitality as a core element. After reopening in 2023 following a three-year hiatus, Tuju reduced its guest capacity to one-third of its former size to prioritize outstanding service, earning the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award 2024 for its warm, welcoming atmosphere and meticulous service approach.

2. Use of Non-Conventional Plant-Based Ingredients from Onsite Edible Gardens
Tuju stands out for its innovative use of non-traditional plant-based ingredients sourced directly from its own landscaped edible gardens, which include walls, a second-floor greenhouse, and a rooftop garden featuring around 350 edible species. This approach challenges conventional fine dining by elevating ingredients often considered less noble, such as tropical flowers and leaves, and integrates sustainability deeply into the culinary philosophy.

3. Culinary Tribute to Brazil’s Rainy Seasons with Unorthodox Flavor Combinations
The restaurant’s 10-course tasting menu pays homage to Brazil’s distinct rainy seasons, showcasing seasonal and locally sourced ingredients with creative and unexpected pairings. Examples include dishes like cauliflower with peanut cream and mushrooms finished with white chocolate, and scallops served with nasturtium and flower-shaped yacon potato slices. This inventive approach highlights São Paulo’s rich local produce with precision and flair, making the menu both a sensory and cultural exploration.

These elements collectively define Tuju’s unconventional identity in the Michelin-starred dining scene of São Paulo.

The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred restaurant Tuju in São Paulo reflect its commitment to local, seasonal, and sustainable produce, often sourced from the restaurant’s own gardens and trusted small-scale producers in São Paulo state. Key ingredients and their significance include:

• Oysters: Featured in a signature dish paired with watermelon and cucurbitaceae, oysters provide a briny, fresh contrast that highlights the restaurant’s skill in balancing unexpected flavors.

• Crab: Used in a delicate dish combined with avocado, corn, and caviar, crab showcases the richness of local seafood elevated with luxurious touches like caviar.

• Squid: Presented with Caruncho pork and shell jus gras, squid is central to a deeply umami-packed dish that exemplifies Tuju’s mastery of texture and flavor harmony.

• Brazilian native ingredients: These include scarlet eggplant, watercress, and Brazilian pepper pil pil, which are used to create bold, earthy, and spicy profiles, such as in the lamb dish with scarlet eggplant and watercress or fish with Brazilian pepper pil pil and asparagus beans.

• Non-conventional plant-based ingredients: Tuju is renowned for its use of over 350 edible species grown in its own gardens, including tropical flowers, leaves, green coconut purée, and plantain vinaigrette, reflecting a philosophy of sustainability and rethinking traditional high-gastronomy ingredients.

These ingredients are not only central to Tuju’s tasting menus but also embody the restaurant’s ethos of sustainability, locality, and innovative culinary creativity. The integration of these elements into refined dishes defines Tuju’s signature style and its Michelin-starred status.

Tasting Menu

• Seasonal Tasting Menu (8 courses): R$ 1.200

Signature Dishes

• Blue Lobster: R$ 195
• Foie Gras: R$ 180