Bia’s Kitchen: A Culinary Journey of Gratitude and Resilience

Join us as we dive into the inspiring story of Bia, the self-taught chef and creator of Bia’s Kitchen Show. From her high-flying marketing career in Rio de Janeiro to a celebrated TV host and author in the UK, Bia has transformed her passion for food into a platform that celebrates resilience, community, and the universal language of cooking. In this interview, Bia shares her journey, how food became her lifeline through challenging times, and her mission to empower others through her work.

Nicolle: Your journey from a high-flying marketing career in Rio de Janeiro to a self-taught chef and TV host in the UK is incredibly inspiring. What motivated you to turn to cooking as a way to reinvent yourself?

Bia: Cooking was something my mother and I would do together from an early age. I even used to play cooking for fun. Cooking Sunday lunch with my Mum, we would go to the farm and pick herbs, vegetables, and fruits from the farm. It made me feel a huge sense of belonging, it was wonderful, no sense of separation between kids and adults we were all mucking in together. For me, it’s about helping other people and finding something that you love along the way. This is what I am all about and what the book is all about. If sharing my personal story goes some way towards helping and inspiring other people who are struggling, I find that incredibly rewarding. Empowering others is what also empowers me.

Nicolle: ‘Bia’s Kitchen Show’ has grown into a platform that celebrates local food businesses. What inspired you to create this show, and what do you hope viewers take away from it?

Bia: The idea started as a pilot for TV as I thought it might be quite fun and I don’t see much in the way of promoting independents who work their socks off. It just carried on from there really and Instagram is quite short to convey that message.

Instagram was where I got most of my traction but the feedback on YouTube has been great. I am passionate about combining my knowledge of food and international flavours, and marketing and production in a way that also involves my community. I have a passion for telling people’s stories. It’s about creating a buzz around the local foodie scene and I hope viewers are inspired by both the recipes and the stories of the incredible creatives behind them. 

Nicolle: Cooking has been a healing process for you through challenging times. How has your passion for food helped you navigate mental health struggles, and how do you hope to inspire others in similar situations?

Bia: It was all a big shock for me when I first moved here from Brazil 16 years ago. I lost my identity. In Brazil I was someone. I came to England and suddenly all that was gone. I was now a pregnant wife in Warwickshire, not used to the culture or the weather and with no support network because my family and friends were all back home. I had no idea what I was going to do next and went to a dark place.

I battled with post-natal depression for years and my eldest daughter faced serious health issues which resulted in surgery to remove one of her lungs at the age of just four. And then, out of the blue, in 2020, the family were devastated when my brother-in-law took his life. But throughout all of this, I just fell back on my lifeline of food. I just knew that everything came back to food for me. I thrive off feeling other people’s energy and passion for food. After all, cooking is the universal language of love.

Nicolle: Your new book, ‘Bia’s Kitchen Show: The Cookbook - A Culinary Journey of Gratitude,’ celebrates not only your own recipes but also contributions from local chefs and artisans. How did you approach curating this diverse collection?

Bia: The book shares great recipes from the fantastic local chefs and artisans who appeared on my show throughout the year, the idea behind it being to hopefully inspire with the message that you can have a bad day or a bad period in your life and come back with a determination to succeed all over again. Hence the title ‘A Culinary Journey of Gratitude.’ Through food and through supporting other people, we can all do better.
This is a fantastic cookbook full of gratitude, community, and flavour, and discovering how cooking can heal and bring people together.

Nicolle: You’ve pledged to donate the profits from your book to Mind Warwickshire. Why is this cause so important to you, and how does it tie into the themes of your show and cookbook?

Bia: Food has played a huge part in my journey of recovery from a very dark place. I use it as a therapy, you can use anything as a therapy. There is not ever only one way to get out of depression. Everyone has their own thing which works for them. It seemed fitting that the proceeds from this first cookery book went back to benefit a cause close to my heart.

Nicolle: As a self-taught chef, what advice would you give to aspiring chefs or entrepreneurs who want to follow their passion despite challenges or setbacks?

Bia: Take a moment to write down your goals. Tune into your heart, and whatever actions you take, infuse them with love and care; this will shine through in your final product or service. Don't allow others' opinions to limit your aspirations, and keep in mind that you can't expect everyone to comprehend or put in the same effort for your vision—it's your dream, not theirs. Continue to push ahead and remember that no one envies those who are failing. Someone once shared that you're likely on the right path to success when you begin to attract critics. Above all, savour the journey; to fulfil your purpose, you must understand the process. 

Nicolle: What’s next for Bia’s Kitchen? Are there more books, new show episodes, or other exciting projects on the horizon?
Bia: The show will continue showcasing the best of the UK independent food industry and there’s another book on the horizon. I have loved where this journey is taking me so far and have met so many talented entrepreneurs who have also inspired me with their own stories of resilience. It’s been a pleasure to share in their passion and I’m proud to feature them in this first book which, fittingly, begins my culinary’ journey of gratitude’ in the adopted Warwickshire community I now call home.

Thank you, Bia, for sharing your incredible journey and the passion behind Bia’s Kitchen Show. Your story is a testament to the power of perseverance, community, and finding joy in what you love. We can’t wait to see where your culinary journey of gratitude leads next—whether through new books, episodes, or exciting projects. To support Bia’s mission, be sure to check out her cookbook, a heartfelt celebration of resilience and flavour, with proceeds supporting Mind Warwickshire. Here’s to cooking, connecting, and creating with gratitude.

Visit Bia’s Kitchen Show at: https://biaskitchenshow.com/

The book can be purchased on Amazon here.

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Nicolle Knapova is a little bit of everything. She is a freelance translator, content creator and social media executive for The C Word Mag. She loves indie music and is always browsing through Spotify to find the next amazing artist to obsess over. Her love for storytelling means she’s always writing something and she’s not afraid of any genre. Her biggest dream is to be a published author. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing it on her Instagram @elisecaverly.