I was born into a family where food was more than nourishment — it was a language of love and connection. My grandmother, Carmen, ran my father’s restaurant from 1978 to 1988, the year I was born. She cooked with instinct, generosity, and heart — and watching her in that kitchen lit the spark that shaped my path.

In Brazil, hospitality runs in our blood. My family owned bakeries and restaurants, and from a young age I was immersed in that rhythm — helping run the family business from 2006 until I left for Australia in 2014. On our farm in Tatuí, São Paulo, I learned what true flavour means. My grandfather tended the garden, growing vegetables we’d harvest by hand, while fresh fruit and milk arrived straight from the source each morning. Cooking over fire became second nature — a way to gather, celebrate, and share the essence of where we came from.

Australia became my next chapter — a place where I could blend my roots with new influences and techniques. Over the years, I’ve worked at some of the Gold Coast’s most respected venues, including seven years at The Star Casino, where I cooked for high-profile guests and hosted exclusive events at Garden Kitchen & Bar, Cucina Vivo, and The Darling Hotel’s private kitchen.

Later, I joined the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, where I cooked for some of Australia’s most prestigious events — including the Logies — serving hundreds of guests with precision, rhythm, and creativity. It was an environment that demanded excellence at every level, and it taught me how to deliver beauty and consistency even on the grandest scale.

But my heart has always belonged to more personal moments — those shared around a single table. At The Valley Estate in Currumbin Valley, I led and curated bespoke weddings and high-end events, from truffle dinners to Louisiana-inspired Gin & Jazz lunches. Each celebration was a chance to craft something intimate and memorable — food that carried a story, a season, and a sense of place.

Today, through Rafa Dias Catering, I bring together everything I’ve learned: the refinement of fine dining, the heart of my grandmother’s kitchen, and the soul of Mediterranean cuisine. My cooking is about honesty — fire, wine, good produce, and the beauty of bringing people together.