Juliana Lima: from Le Cordon Bleu Paris to Brazilian churrasco, a journey that became her signature

Grand Diplôme® 2018, nearly 9 million followers on Instagram, and a culinary identity shaped by French technique and Brazilian churrasco: Juliana Lima has made her training at the institute Le Cordon Bleu Paris the foundation of a style that is entirely her own.

When Juliana Lima arrived in Paris in 2018, she had no idea just how far the experience would take her.

“If I hadn’t studied at Le Cordon Bleu, I’m convinced I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

She chose Paris with a clear goal in mind: to learn French cuisine at its source and build strong technical foundations. She began the Grand Diplôme®, immersing herself in a demanding environment that called for discipline, hard work and perseverance. Fully committed, she would revise her lessons, recreate recipes at home and constantly push herself to improve.

But what she remembers most about her time at the institute goes far beyond techniques.

“It was one of the happiest years of my life. I loved going to class, watching the demonstrations and then recreating the recipes during practical classes.”

She also has wonderful memories of the people she met in Paris, students from all over the world, and the shared energy that shaped daily life at the institute.

Some experiences from that time have stayed with her ever since. Juliana particularly remembers the Opéra, a dessert she was especially nervous about during her pastry exams. It has since become almost symbolic of her journey, as it is now one of the desserts she regularly serves at her events in Brazil.

When French techniques meet Brazilian churrasco

Back in Brazil, Juliana began sharing more food content online. She already had a community of around 50,000 followers, largely built through the photos and recipes she posted while studying in Paris. Little by little, her videos began to gain traction, and she realised that social media could become a professional venture.

At first, she mainly shared French recipes. Then came the turning point that would define her culinary identity:

“I started teaching churrasco with a French twist. Nobody was used to seeing that. I would prepare a beautiful cut of meat with a traditional French sauce, and people started recreating the recipes at home.”

Churrasco became her natural creative space, without ever losing sight of the fundamentals she had learnt in Paris: precision in cooking, understanding meat, succulence, sauces and technical mastery.

In doing so, Juliana developed a signature style that brings together two worlds: the tradition of Brazilian churrasco and the foundations of French gastronomy.

That identity is even more distinctive because she has made her mark in a field still strongly associated with men. Juliana explains that almost half of her audience today is male, and believes she has helped, in her own way, to challenge some of the traditional codes surrounding barbecue in Brazil.

A chef, creator and entrepreneur

Today, Juliana’s work goes far beyond social media. Television, including appearances on TV Globo, collaborations with major brands, content creation and culinary experiences all form part of her day-to-day work.

She also welcomes partners and their guests into her home, where she creates events centred around her cooking: tasting menus, grilled meats, churrasco and dishes designed especially for each occasion.

It is also a way of showing what remains at the heart of her career:

“I’m not just a chef on Instagram. I’m also a chef who cooks, who puts everything into practice.”

Her world continues to expand. At her home in Brazil, Juliana is developing a stronger farm-to-table approach, bringing together gastronomy, animals and a way of life that she increasingly wants to share with her community. She even talks about producing some of her own ingredients in the future, including making her own cheese.

She is also preparing to launch a cookware brand in 2027, including knives and pans, as she continues to develop her entrepreneurial projects. Her work was also recognised this year when she was named one of the Top 10 Creators by Forbes Brazil.

Looking towards an international future

Having built a community of nearly nine million people in Brazil, Juliana is now looking to take her career to an even more international level, including through future content in English.

Her ambition is clear:

“I want to become a global benchmark for churrasco and French gastronomy.”

Her journey ultimately brings together two cultures: the French cuisine she learnt in Paris and the Brazilian tradition of churrasco, which Juliana has turned into a distinctive signature of her own.