On May 5th, Praça da Savassi hosts the fourth edition of Made in Minas Gerais, the event that celebrates the largest amount of the state’s heritage: Cuisine Mineira, Queijo and Viola Caipira. The program will be from 10 am to 7 pm, with attractions for the whole family with lots of music, art, culture, gastronomy, kids space and social activities. For 2024, the theme will be Viola Caipira, with performances by great exponents of this instrument such as Chico Lobo, Renato Caetano, Letícia Leal, Orquestra Mineira de Viola Caipira, and the holding of the unprecedented Viola Caipira Competition.
“Belo Horizonte has always been the stage for initiatives related to culture, but I realized that I have never been to an event that exclusively covered the entire state. And that’s how the inspiration for Made in Minas Gerais came about: from the certainty that genuinely Minas Gerais traditions deserve an event that values the roots of its people”, says the gastronomic curator and creator of the event, Jordane Macedo. Made in Minas Gerais places Belo Horizonte, elected Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO, in the center, right in the middle of Praça da Savassi, and, from there, the public is guided by the cardinal points, having the opportunity to culture what is special in the state, made by those who develop the culture of each region.
Among those confirmed this year are chef Marcela Azevedo from the bistro Alquimia dos Quintais with the participation of Quilombo do Ribeirão, representing the south of Minas; chef Rodrigo Costa and the restaurant “Velho Chico”, from Pium-I, comes from the West; chef Giovanna Bruno, from Restaurante Entreposto Relíquia, is a representative of the North; from the East, chef Carol Biasi from the Jotapê restaurant and from the South, Empório Bistrô 77, from Itabirito.
Classics of Minas Gerais cuisine will also be present, such as Restaurante Dona Lucinha, Maria das Tranças and Casa Cheia, from Mercado Central; with a space dedicated to Minas Artesanal Cheese, presented by Rota do Queijo de Minas, in which the largest Canastra cheese ever produced, Canastra Imperial II, will be split. The piece of cheese was produced on Ivair’s farm, weighs 36 kg and will be sold in wedges during the event. “We also highlight the participation of important projects for social development such as Gastrô For All and Sebo Deleite”, adds the director. And Krug Bier, the official beer brand of Made in Minas Gerais, presents another special label exclusively for the event.
This time, SEBRAE, through its Origem Minas project, which aims to foster the development, competitiveness and differentiation of micro and small agribusiness and gastronomy companies in Minas Gerais, brings to Made in Minas Gerais several small producers from state and with an emphasis on the northern region, with an exclusive stand selling cachaça from Salinas.
Made in Minas Gerais also has the “Trem num Trem” project, which enables the participation of cooks who would not be able to afford equipment to start their own business, generating social transformation and business. In this edition, the guest to take over the train cabin will be cook Vilmar Oliveira, from Pium-I, who will make crackling popcorn. The event also supports and gives visibility to the Gastrô4All and Save the Leite projects.
It does not stop there. Jordane Macedo also says that she missed a theme song for the event and, alongside the Orquestra Mineira de Violas and Pedro das Gerais, she wrote the song that will be released on the day. With the theme: “What is produced in the countryside with happiness, feeds the culture that comes to the city”.
To end in style, the event rewards the best dish with the Dona Lucinha Trophy. The contest takes place through popular voting throughout the day and the chosen one is honored on stage at the end of Made in Minas Gerais.
Made in Minas Gerais 2024 is held with the sponsorship of Sicoob and in partnership with the program A Rua é Nossa, promoted by SMEL – Secretariat of Sport and Leisure. The event has free access, upon collection of tickets through Sympla and spontaneous donation of food to Instituto Adotar. It is worth mentioning that the event is also pet friendly, with space designed by the Pet&Friends and Nosso Zeca projects.
Check out the complete schedule on the project’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeinminasgerais/.
Caipira viola competition Made in Minas Gerais
With the aim of praising this instrument so present in the culture and identity of Minas Gerais, the first Caipira Viola Competition will reward new talents on this instrument during Made in Minas Gerais. Candidates signed up in the “New Values” and “Performers” categories, in solo or duo/group modalities, and were evaluated by guitarist Chico Lobo together with the board of the production company Culturar. The chosen finalists will undergo popular voting on the @madeinminasgerais profile on Instagram, by the vote of Chico Lobo and the festival organization, and the final result will be presented on the Made in Minas Gerais stage.
“Minas Gerais, in addition to its strong culinary tradition and its reputation as the birthplace of cheese production, is adorned by stunning landscapes. However, there are still many other riches to be discovered in each of the regions of this unique state, among them the Viola Caipira”, says Jordane Macedo.
SERVICE: MADE IN MINAS GERAIS
Date: May 5th – from 10am to 7pm
Location: Praça da Savassi
Free tickets collected by Sympla
Website: https://www.madeinminasgerais.com.br/
Instagram: @madeinminasgerais
Photo: Nereu Jr
