Meet Carolina Santos-Neves
A former associate editor for Epicurious, Carolina is a Brazilian-American chef whose nomadic childhood has made her both culture curious and fearless in the kitchen. She is continuously focused on mission-driven collaborations with friends she admires. She just joined the advisory board for A Better Life Foundation and has cooked for DIW, founded by Maryam Ajayi, as well as for the founders & community of We Are The XX, Thinx & Abe’s Eats. Caro, as many call her, is currently working as the in-house culinary creative with the team at Cafe Clover & the soon to open American Bar, two restaurants set in New York’s West Village.
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ON HER MORNING ROUTINE
I love waking up early, the city that never sleeps seems quiet, yet bustling. I’m a huge coffee person, so I’ll make myself a coffee with my Bialetti, though I’ve been known to walk down a flight of stairs and support the local Dominican deli too. Recently I’ve been taking Lily CBD to get my body in the right zone as well as Seed Symbiotic. I try and implement traditional breath-focused meditation into my day to day, but I love breaking a sweat, which in a way is my meditation I love NYSC, Yoga (Modo Yoga, Kula Yoga, Yoga Vida) or the community classes at The Class by TT.
on her childhood and constantly moving
I was born in Geneva Switzerland. I know, seems random, but my dad was a diplomat for the Brazilian government so we moved around quite a bit. At the age of 2 we moved to Brasilia, then at seven we moved to NYC. I went to school uptown in the 90’s and did ballet downtown at the Joffrey. It was around this time when I discovered gymnastics as well as the cello. Then we moved to a very welcoming neighborhood in Westchester. While I never got to sell girl scout cookies, I did run a lemonade stand where I also sold edible play-dough; perhaps the beginning of my career in food. We eventually moved to Mexico City, which I would consider our hardest, yet most rewarding move. I remember when I first had a real taco, and tried cajeta. I spent three years there only to eventually go to boarding school in the U.S.
on college and beyond
I studied European History at Brown University. I often get asked how does a BA in history have anything to do with what I do now, but all I can say is that I loved my time there. I wasn’t the most studious, but I was someone who cherished exposure to people from all over the world. Right after school I moved to NYC because it was where my whole family considered home. I will say, I didn’t exactly know what I was going to do professionally, but my first job was at Special Ops media where I was responsible for getting free ad placement on websites for movie and music companies.
““The soundtrack to my life involved anyone from Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soul Asylum, to Whitney Houston’s version of I will always love you. I can safely say that my move to Mexico really made me who I am. It was during that time that I learned and embraced the art of communication and giving.””
on her transition to food
Entering the world of food was layered. I’ve always loved it as well as talked about it. I used to host dinner parties at my apartment all the time and invite more people than I could fit. And so food was always in my orbit, and I often loosely spoke about opening up a restaurant, but as someone who was forced into a nomadic way of being since birth I feared that NYC wasn’t the place I’d want to reside in forever. And so I stalled. I also had no idea how to open one.
Eventually a classmate of mine, Hannah, introduced me to Soraya Darabi, who at the time, was working at the marketing department at Style.com & Epicurious. Over lunch, Soraya brought up that they were hiring for a data entry position. I saw it as an opportunity to get my foot in the door and surely enough it was. A few months later I became the editorial assistant and eventually stayed on for about 5 years, leaving as an associate editor.
on the chefs she admires
Julia Child no doubt. Ottolenghi continues to inspire (I went to Israel for the first time last summer, and the food was next level yet so simple). I think Alison Roman and Andy Baraghani make inspired/accessible food. Felipe Donnelly, I loved collaborating with at Comodo, and he taught me so much about plating, the beauty of heavy cream and butter (thank you for that) and cooking in the restaurant kitchen. Alfredo Villanueva of Monterrey is a brilliant chef. Finally, my mother, she’s always inspired me to try new things and feel like the kitchen is home.
on her favorite spots to buy ingredients
Union Square Farmers market for veggies, fresh herbs, mushrooms and most importantly their scallops. For seafood I also enjoy Fish Tales, Citarella does the trick as well. For meat I’m a big fan of Pino’s. For herbs and esoteric ingredients I love Kalustyans and Despana. I love the Tahini from Seed & Mill and spices from Burlap & Barrel. For coffee I’m quite partial to Devocion.
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““Art, film, traveling, trying new dishes or ingredients, nature, dreams, stories, exchanges between acquaintances or longtime friends. Inspiration can come whenever we least expect it.”
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on her go-to cooking essentials and favorite dishes
A sharp Japanese Santoku Knife (Korin!), Mandoline, Lodge cast iron pan, Bialetti espresso machine, tongs, kitchen towels, Vitamix blender, sheers and oven mitts. As for cooking essentials, olive oil by Arianna Occhipinti, I love this salt from Cornwall that my mom introduced me to, Frontier’s Curry powder, organic/free range eggs, canned sardines, avocados, Trader Joe’s crunchy salted almond butter, maple syrup, grass-fed butter, anchovies, garlic, sweet onions, tamari and fresh ginger.
I love making Tagines, simple roasted fish and I’m a big fan of sauces/dressings. So I make a lot of herb-based ones using caramelized onion, almond butter, lemon juice, garlic, and a bunch of dill or basil. It’s a recipe that’s great on anything from fish to steak to veggies, and, honestly a ribeye! A great ribeye with salt is everything. At home my mom and I make salmon with garlic-anchovy butter a lot, which is consistently an incredible dish.I also make a beautiful Moqueca.
on her beauty routine
I love Dr. Alkalitis’ travel kit + Peet Rivko. Both very clean products that help with my sensitive skin. My mom always told me not to dry my face with towels, so I don’t. I guess because they tend to be dirty? I’ve also been trying to drink a lot of water, and stick to eating healthy fats. I also like to go to acupuncture at WTHN, and get my hair done with Jemma at Arte Salon. I also recommend: Viracid Immune Health, Dr. Alkaitis’s Organic Nourishing Treatment Oil, Mario Badescu Facial Spray, Parsley Health’s Magnesium Glycinate, Drunk Elephant’s Protini™ Polypeptide Cream and Seed Synbiotic.
on her favorite books
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy speaks about life, lust and love, right and wrong, possibility and disappointment. I wouldn’t say it’s a bible to live by or anything like that, but it somewhat acts as a reminder to experience all experiences whatever they may be or lead to. I would also recommend: Letters to a Young Poet by Maria Rilke and Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.
““I think that all the traveling and moving around makes me a chef that loves to combine all sorts of flavors on a plate - it’s made me curious and fearless in the kitchen. I think it’s also made me someone who’s really open, loves meeting people, loves collaborating, loves learning and understanding.””
carolina’s favorite films
I just saw Booksmart by Olivia Wilde which I thought was genius. Smart humor, compassionate, real and raw. Yet Playful. I also recommend Let the Right One In by Tomas Alfredson, The Secret in Their Eyes by Billy Ray and Spaceballs by Mel Brooks, that movie still makes me laugh - it’s silly but so brilliant.
carolina’s favorite places to eat
Via Carota, Buvette, Uncle Boons, Colonia Verde, Risbo, Mogador, Four Horsemen, Cafe Altro Paradiso, Wild Air, Ugly Baby, Cervos, Harts, Grand Central Oyster Bar, Okonomi, Minetta, Raouls, Hanoi House, Tomoe, Takahachi, Sasabune, Tanoshi, Atla, Upland
carolina’s favorite places to dance
Bembe, Friends & Lovers, Gonzalez y Gonzalez and Donna
Carolina’s favorite places for coffee
Devocion, 2nd Floor of Freehand Hotel, Hi-Collar, Paper Coffee
carolina’s favorite museums and galleries
Moma, Whitney, Met, Dia: Beacon, Frick, The Jewish Musuem, Noguchi, PS1, Peter Freeman Gallery and Gagosian
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