Austrian TV show 'Culinary Heights At Ikarus' shot in São Paulo
Lisa Murua • 13 February 2020
The latest episode of the hit gastronomy series was shot in São Paulo, at Michelin-starred restaurant Tuju. Story Productions provided a local fixer and German-speaking production assistant to support the visiting crew
NOW LIVE >>>> Watch the episode online at www.servustv.com
'Culinary Heights At Ikarus', broadcast on Austrian TV channel Servus TV, is a hit food programme that takes viewers on a culinary journey around the world. In each episode, executive chef Martin Klein, from Salzburg restaurant Hangar7, visits a top chef, learning about their local cuisine and then inviting them back to Hangar7 where Klein's crew takes on the challenge of adapting the restaurant menu to the guest chef's cuisine. The series has taken Klein as far and wide as the USA, South Africa, Japan and Australia, amassing more than ten seasons already.
Traditional, fusion or molecular – the cuisines featured are as varied as the locations. The latest episode to be shot was in São Paulo, Story Productions' hometown, where the spotlight was on chef Ivan Ralston, and his award-winning restaurant Tuju.
This isn't the first time that the TV show has visited São Paulo. Chefs Alex Atala (of D.O.M. restaurant) and Helena Rizzo (of Maní fame) have already featured in the series. This shoot, however, was all about chef Ivan Ralston – a rising star of modern Brazilian cuisine, whose restaurant Tuju is based in the heart of the bohemian neighbourhood of Vila Madalena.
The cuisine at Tuju is contemporary, drawing inspiration from São Paulo's varied history of immigration, from Japanese to Italian, Spanish and Jewish cuisine. Ralston, who graduated from Berklee College of Music (USA) and Escuela de Hostelería Hofmann cooking school in Spain, is passionate about using local ingredients. At Tuju, he has created a kitchen garden, planted with over 200 types of lesser-known herbs and vegetables. That, and the close relationship he has with his suppliers, forms the test bed for Ralston and his team's culinary experiments that have won him two Michelin stars.
A crew from Austrian production company DMG Filmproduktion travelled to São Paulo for a five-day shoot, hiring a Story Productions' crew to help with locations, fixing and on-the-ground logistics. The shoot took place in and around São Paulo, at various city landmarks such as the Beco do Batman graffiti alley, the Mercado Municipal (municipal market), on the city's main business street Avenida Paulista as well as in Ibirapuera Park.
The DMG crew wanted to capture São Paulo's culinary credentials on camera and it was a pleasure for us to show them round our hometown. Story Productions did some location scouting ahead of the shoot, and arranged filming permits for the public locations that required permission. Chef Ivan Ralston also had some last minute suggestions as to where to shoot, and we were able to organise the extra logistics smoothly.
On the third day of the shoot, the van we hired for the duration of the shoot took the crew out into the São Paulo countryside to visit one of Ralston's suppliers – a beautiful farm in Piedade. Ralston was able to show Martin Klein the source of some of his produce, and the people that grow it.
The DMG crew included a director, producer, DoP, camera operator, camera assistant and sound technician. Story Productions provided a Brazilian fixer and native German-speaking production assistant, as well as arranging transport and on-the-ground logistics for the shoot.
Filming in a mega city the size of São Paulo is not without its challenges. Reported to have the fifth worst traffic congestion on the planet, with 154 hours per capita wasted in traffic each year, being organised and agile is essential for a successful shoot. English is also not also as commonly spoken as some might think, making a Brazilian fixer an essential addition for any foreign production companies planning to shoot in São Paulo.
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