This fusion of culinary artistry and community engagement is at the heart of who they are, inviting everyone to share in the joy of connection, discovery, and a really good meal. They have teamed up with collaborator Chef Laura, whose expertise in plant-based cooking adds an innovative, delicious, and sustainable approach to dining.

A family business, Chef Rodiney Neves, and artist and entrepreneur, Melanie Aronson, have joined forces to create Cultivate, a joint vision for their community.

Rodiney

Originally from Mato Grosso, Brazil, Rodiney ventured off to the coastal southern village of Guarda do Embau to develop his culinary skills, surf, and open his own vegetarian restaurant where he could share and further develop his creations. Rodiney loves to push the boundaries of traditional sushi by infusing it with bold, vegan innovations, and since then, has introduced the sushi burrito to Portugal.

Melanie

Originally from the U.S., Melanie has a background in anthropology, filmmaking, photography, yoga, and functional nutrition, which first took her on a journey around the world capturing photos and eventually making documentaries. Before moving to Portugal, she ran a film production company in Sweden and later founded Panion, a tech startup that provided a community-building platform for online communities during the pandemic. She then followed her passion for food and wellness by studying functional nutrition, and now helps people address chronic health challenges through science-backed approaches that integrate nutrition, plant medicine, genetics, and microbiome health. At heart, she’s an artist, foodie, science nerd and curious soul who believes in the power of coming together over food to learn, connect, and make a positive impact.

Together they have a little boy who is a very impressive eater!