Team with Down syndrome manages cafeteria in São Paulo; Meet!

Jéssica Pereira da Silva, 31, dreamed of owning a restaurant. The idea was consolidated with the opening of Bellatucci Café, located in Pinheiros, in the capital of São Paulo.

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This past Tuesday (21) was World Down Syndrome Day. The date was chosen because it is the third month of the year, representing trisomy 21, which is the main cause of Down Syndrome.

Down Syndrome is a genetic condition that occurs when there is an extra copy of chromosome 21, caused by distinct physical characteristics and variable intellectual disabilities. The syndrome affects about 1 in every 800 births worldwide and is the most common form of intellectual disability of genetic origin.

“My dream was to open a restaurant, but my sister and my mother said that a restaurant was too difficult and we decided to open a cafe. Coffee changed my life. I stayed at home a lot, watched a lot of television. Now I get home at 7 pm, I work from Monday to Saturday”, said Jessica.

Photo: @BellatucciCafe

According to her, the taste for cooking came from watching her own mother and became a profession with the Gastronomy Technician course at the National Commercial Learning Service (Senac). Already graduated, Jessica was sure that she wanted to have a venture in the food industry.

“I liked to see my mother messing with the pans, the knives and I started helping to set the table, making juice, dessert, salad and then I fell in love”, he said. In the cafeteria, Jessica serves sweets, pies and coffee. “I make pot cake, brigadeiro, honey bread, crepe. We cook every day, we sell everything fresh and we work together, my whole family helps me with the coffee”, she said.

São Paulo (SP), 03/20/2023 – The attendant Philippe Tavares, who has Down syndrome, works at Bellatucci Café, an inclusive coffee shop. Photo: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil

Other people with Down syndrome also work there, including Philippe Tavares, 31, the barista. “He was my friend and he's a barista here. And now my boyfriend”, revealed Jessica. The young man took a barista course and also a waiter course. “I love being here. I'm a barista and I make coffees, cappuccino, mocha coffee. I'm a show barista. I met Jessica at Apae, when I was 6 years old. Now, she is my girlfriend”, said Philippe.

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