“Pepper and fish are the essence of our people,” says Alison da Silva, an indigenous cook who reached the final

Read below the testimony of cook Alison da Silva, from the Indigenous Community of São Gabriel da Cachoeira (AM), who reached the final with the winning dish in the competition on the full use of food: farofa made from manioc flour with meat, garlic and onions with peel, served with a vinaigrette sauce with a slight touch of pepper.

“Reaching the final means achieving a prestigious position that I never imagined I would reach. Representing not only the 24 ethnic groups but all indigenous peoples is a source of great pride, as I can show that we are capable of achieving our dreams and goals, wherever we are. Chilli pepper is important to our people because, together with fish, it is part of the daily life of the Cabeça do Cachorro people. So it is one of the strong essences of our people.”