Alex Atala

Alex Atala, born Milad Alexandre Mack Atala on June 3, 1968, is a Brazilian chef of Palestinian and Irish ancestry. He is the owner of the renowned restaurant D.O.M. in São Paulo, which was ranked as the 4th best restaurant in the world by the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2012. Atala is known for his innovative approach to Brazilian cuisine, blending traditional dishes with French and Italian culinary techniques using native Brazilian ingredients. He has also hosted a television show on the Brazilian TV channel GNT. In 2013, Atala co-founded the Atá Institute, which focuses on the relationship between food and society. In recent news, Atala and his institute were involved in controversy surrounding the registration of the name "Cerrado vanilla" as a commercial trademark without consulting local rural communities.