Here at Oliveira Kitchen, we believe food should mean something. This blog is where I share the messy realities behind our plant-forward kitchen—the principles that guide us, the compromises we refuse to make, and the occasional frustrations of cooking with integrity in a world that often values convenience over craft. Expect honest reflections on seasonal ingredients, behind-the-scenes glimpses of our creative process, and recipes that honour both tradition and innovation. This is my kitchen’s journal, and I’m opening it up to you. I’m Emerson Amélio, and welcome to The Muddled Chef.
In the dappled shade of tropical forests, from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia, grows a fruit that has captured the imagination of herbalists and healers
We Don’t Do Fake Meat. Here’s Why That Makes Us Better. Let’s talk about protein—everyone’s favourite buzzword. You can’t open a menu, scroll through TikTok,
Classic Italian olive oil bread made fully vegan—soft, rustic, and full of flavor. You know what I love about Pane all’Olio? It’s one of those
Quick & Easy Vegan Olive Oil Bread The original recipe, ‘like an Italian mama would do it,’ has egg in it. On the other article
The term “superfood” appears everywhere these days—on packages, in headlines, across social media. But what does it actually mean? Let me be clear from the
Please email e-amelio@oliveira.kitchen
Emerson Amélio is head chef at Oliveira Kitchen, where he leads a plant-forward kitchen committed to seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. With an uncompromising approach to craft and tradition, Amélio believes that real food requires real time—from 48-hour bread proofing to house-made sauces and hand-churned butter. When he’s not in the kitchen, he’s wrestling with the complexities of running an ethical restaurant in a world that often prioritises convenience over quality. His writing reflects the same honesty and passion he brings to his cooking: unfiltered, principled, and occasionally controversial.
By the way, after much gentle bullying, our chef finally caved and made his own Instagram account. He’s absolutely terrible at it (imagine a capuchin monkey from Brazil trying to text back), but if you’d like to join in the chaos, go ahead and follow him. Once he figures out what all the buttons do, he promises to post more. Here’s his page:
