# Tuju: the balance between rigor behind the scenes and poetry on the plate

On Rua Frei Galvão, chef Ivan Ralston combines management precision with iconic dishes, establishing one of the city's most refined addresses.

- Section: Gourmet
- Published: October 19, 2026
- Address: https://ceoone.com.br/en/article/tuju-the-balance-between-rigor-behind-the-scenes-and-poetry-on-the-plate
- Em português: https://ceoone.com.br/artigo/tuju-o-equilibrio-entre-o-rigor-dos-bastidores-e-a-poesia-no-prato.md

![Black and white photo of three cooks in white jackets plating dishes at a kitchen counter](https://pub-b80e49b2737940b3ab5d3f20d0578192.r2.dev/artigos/tuju-o-equilibrio-entre-o-rigor-dos-bastidores-e-a-poesia-no-prato-foto.webp)

Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

## Key points

- Tuju, led by chef Ivan Ralston and CEO Katherina Cordás, is at Rua Frei Galvão, 135, in Jardim Paulistano, and holds Michelin stars.
- The tasting menu follows climate cycles and includes mussels with carrot and rice, stuffed squid finished with Brazilian truffle and the corn panna cotta with crab.
- For a couple, the menu with wines or drinks costs on average R$ 2,800 to R$ 4,200; the restaurant works with small producers, mostly from the state of São Paulo.

Eating, in the most everyday sense of the word, carries the urgency of subsistence. However, when filtered through the lens of contemporary fine dining, the act of eating takes on the contours of ritual, memory and technical precision. It is this daily transformation that Tuju, at Rua Frei Galvão, 135, in Jardim Paulistano, carries out masterfully, establishing itself as one of the great culinary temples of Latin America and boasting the prestige of its Michelin stars.

Led by chef Ivan Ralston together with manager and CEO Katherina Cordás, Tuju operates on the premise that excellence does not lie in technical showmanship or imported visual tricks, but in the rigorous search for the essence of local, seasonal ingredients. The restaurant works as a carefully planned ecosystem, where each tasting menu, structured around climate cycles such as breezes, gales and rains, offers a deep immersion in the flavors of São Paulo and Brazil.

## The iconic dishes and the experience at the table

The experience at Tuju unfolds over multiple courses, with the open kitchen bringing guests into the synchronized ballet of the cooks. The journey begins with mussels with carrot and rice, a delicate opening that explores textures and marine notes with surgical precision, followed by cured fish with avocado, myoga pickles and nam jim, which balances acidity, freshness and subtle Asian references in just the right measure. Next, the restaurant presents an ode to the versatility of squash, worked into juice, oil, pickles with cumaru and rehydrated in dashi, crowned by the luxury of beluga caviar and the striking presence of sea urchin.

![A hand pouring orange sauce from a spoon over a crustacean on a white plate](https://pub-b80e49b2737940b3ab5d3f20d0578192.r2.dev/artigos/tuju-o-equilibrio-entre-o-rigor-dos-bastidores-e-a-poesia-no-prato-prato.webp)

One of Tuju's dishes. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

The itinerary moves on to squid stuffed with mushroom duxelles and huitlacoche, served with a shellfish nage and squid ink and finished with Brazilian truffle, culminating in the celebrated corn panna cotta with crab, considered by many guests one of the restaurant's high points, combining the softness of corn with a comforting and sophisticated broth.

The journey ends with dessert creations inspired by the seasons, which play with citrus notes of honey from native stingless bees, persimmon and squash, finishing the meal with poetic lightness.

To experience the full itinerary, the average spend for a couple usually ranges from R$ 2,800 to R$ 4,200, including the tasting menu with wines or drinks selected by the restaurant's sommelier.

## Governance, sustainability and behind-the-scenes rigor

Behind the apparent lightness of the dining room, Tuju's success rests on an exemplary business management model. Ivan Ralston divides his routine between creating at the stove and the strict financial management of the restaurant, operating with a lean team focused on keeping the cost of goods under tight control. The partnership with small local producers, mostly from the state of São Paulo, ensures that sustainability is not just a marketing message but the fundamental pillar of the restaurant's entire supply chain.

More than attracting a fleeting crowd in search of passing novelties, Tuju is betting on the loyalty and return of its customers, showing that São Paulo's fine dining has reached the maturity needed to turn the act of eating into a lasting and deeply Brazilian work of art.

## Sources and editorial notes

- Reference reporting and data: Folha de S.Paulo, Paladar (O Estado de S. Paulo), Bloomberg Línea, Michelin Guide, Amarello.

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