Where do chefs eat? With Felipe Caran, from Casa do João, in Bonito

Born in Mogi das Cruzes, in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Felipe Caran grew up in the kitchen. His father, Seu João, ran a restaurant in the city and his grandmother was a cooking teacher. And so it was, with the smell and the modus operandi of gastronomy, that the boy spent his days.

At the age of 12, Felipe and his family left the city for Beautiful, a Brazilian capital of ecotourism. They opened a gas station, but business didn’t go so well. That’s when Bar do João came about, which appeared in an unpretentious way, but which, after a while, would become one of the busiest places in the city to eat and drink well.

The business grew and became John’s house, one of the best-known restaurants in Bonito and named after the chef’s father. There, for 14 years, they have served traíra sem Espinho, a house specialty, and also an alligator ceviche, which is a hit at the place. Self-taught in gastronomy, Felipe entered the field professionally at the age of 19, but ended up studying Tourism and Hospitality, a course that took him to work for eight years in London and to live in five countries.

Today, at the age of 36, in addition to being one of the faces at the head of Casa do João, Felipe has entrepreneurship projects, gives lectures around Brazil and cooks for private dinners. He jokes that he just doesn’t know how to make sweets and bread, but that the rest, he’s ready for everything. “I love making a big pot of feijoada, a stew, barbecue. I say I’m a pot cook”, he assumes.

Away from the rush of his projects and Casa do João, Felipe also tastes traditional Bonito delights and shares his favorite restaurants and dishes:

Natural Arabic Turquoise

It is a restaurant from a couple who are friends of mine, Erika and João. They came together in a love story and opened this natural Arabic food restaurant. It is a super cute place, with delicate decoration, fast service and delicious, affective food, with a lot of flavor. I love the esfihas, the raw kibe and the kafta sandwich they serve.

Rua Vinte e Nove de Maio, 976. Tel: (67) 3255-1726 or 99230-0755

OK wait

THE OK wait was founded over 35 years ago, was the pioneer of restaurants in the city and still exists today. Chef Tó was also one of those who started tourism in Bonito: he opened an inn with his brothers, but ended up keeping the restaurant part. The highlight is the picanha na pedra, a very Pantanal food. The location is central, it even has a tree inside the hall and is part of the Bonito itinerary.

Cell Street Pílad Rébua, 1961 – Dawn. WhatsApp: (67) 99254-1301.

Juanita

THE Juanita is a traditional restaurant in the city run by chef Juanita Battilani with her sons Jean and Dominique. They lead the city with the roasted pacu. They also serve Chico Balanceado, a dessert with caramelized banana cream and freshly burnt sigh. It is a traditional house, like a postcard of the city. The decor is beautiful, with bright colors, and the place is airy.

Rua Nossa Senhora da Penha, 854 – Downtown. Tel: (67) 3255-1924

Rio de la Plata Group

The group has two tours: one is the Ecological Nook Rio da Prata and the other is the Mimosa Resort. They cook traditional Pantanal food on a wood stove. There are many Pantanal dishes that I like, such as Paraguayan soup, roast beef, among others, but my highlight is the dulce de leche, which is made for eight hours on the fire. It’s second to none!

Recanto Ecológico Rio da Prata: Highway BR 267, Km 512, Rural Area – Garden.
Mimosa Ecotourism Resort: Rodovia MS 178, Km 18, Rural Area – Bonito.

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