RIO DE JANEIRO, March 20 — Alex Atala has become Brazil’s first and only chef to score two Michelin stars in the inaugural edition of the Michelin guide for his Sao Paulo restaurant D.O.M.

Atala, widely cited as the unofficial ambassador of native, Brazilian cuisine, is the highest-ranked chef according to an early preview published quietly on Michelin’s official site ahead of the official announcement.

The inaugural guide for Brazil, which was announced last year, focuses on Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo and features 17 starred restaurants.

While D.O.M. was awarded two stars, the rest hold a single star.

Sao Paulo dominates the list, with 11 restaurants, with six eateries coming from Rio.

Alex Atala, with his string of accolades and awards.©Courtesy of Alex Atala

It comes as no surprise that Atala makes his debut in the Michelin world, given his string of accolades and awards.

In addition to winning the title of best restaurant in Brazil in 2013, Atala was also named the Lifetime Achievement Winner by the organisers of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants last year.

“Bringing to the fore Tupinquim ingredients that were overlooked by or unfamiliar to other renowned chefs, such as priprioca, black rice and pupunha palm heart, his cooking surprises and stimulates the palate, offering a veritable journey through the flavours, textures and produce of Brazil,” reads a blurb on the Michelin site.

“Passion and a prodigious technical skill have resulted in his innovative, creative and seasonal cuisine becoming a reference point for Brazilian cooking.”

D.O.M. Restaurant’s chilled beetroot cream (Cassio Vasconcellos).©Courtesy of Alex Atala

Here are the starred restaurants in Brazil, representing modern, Brazilian, French and Japanese cuisines:

Two-Stars D.O.M., Sao Paulo

One-Star

Huto, Sao Paulo Dalva e Dito, Sao Paulo Oro, Rio de Janeiro Roberta Sudbrack, Rio de Janeiro Kinoshita, Sao Paulo Epice, Sao Paulo Kosushi, Sao Paulo Tuju, Sao Paulo Le Pré Catelan, Rio de Janeiro Olympe, Rio de Janeiro Attimo, Sao Paulo Maní, Sao Paulo Jun Sakamoto, Sao Paulo Mee, Rio de Janeiro Lasai, Rio de Janeiro Fasano, Sao Paulo

— AFP-Relaxnews