At 20 years old, Tabata Rainho Goncalves looks at Lyon from Rio like others look at another planet. She doesn’t speak French well, doesn’t know anyone there, but decides to leave everything to learn cooking in the city she’s dreamed of since childhood. At that time, there was nothing to suggest that his name would one day join the starred tables.
Two decades later, having become Tabata Mey, the chef has established herself as one of the leading faces of Lyon’s gastronomy: Michelin-winning restaurants, collective projects around eating well, national distinction and family life at arm’s length. Its story tells of a long path, built step by step, between Rio, Lyon and the most demanding cuisines.
From Rio to Lyon: Tabata Mey’s beginnings in the kitchen
Born in Rio, Tabata Mey arrived in France 23 years ago with a very clear objective: she explains. She chooses Lyon, because , she confides to L’Essentiel. She then joined the Institut Paul Bocuse, a school from which she quickly emerged.
Trained in the Lyon brigades and passed in particular by great leaders like Christian Le Squer, she climbed the ranks one by one. To the point of running the kitchen at Nicolas Le Bec’s restaurant alone and retaining its two Michelin stars in 2010. A turning point that she sums up simply:
The restaurants of Tabata Mey, Apothecaries in Ombellule
In Lyon, the chef meets Ludovic Mey at Marguerite Restaurant. Together, they are developing a common project after a year of traveling with great chefs. From this reflection was born Les Apothecaires, opened in 2016 in the 6th arrondissement, an intimate and creative restaurant that combines Brazilian influences, modern techniques and local products. The restaurant will then be awarded a star in the Michelin Guide.
Its trajectory also reads like a very clear chronology:
- 2012: appearance on the culinary show, which broadens its notoriety.
- 2016: opening of Les Apothecaires, with Ludovic Mey.
- 2020: first Michelin star for Les Apothecaires.
- Opening of Food Traboule at the Tour Rose, a 100% Lyonnais food court, which will remain open for four years.
- 2024: launch of Ombellule, a table with 24 seats, and Brasserie Roseaux, more classic and accessible.
- March 2025: first Michelin star for Ombellule, only six months after its opening.
Commitment, family and transmission at the heart of Tabata Mey’s journey
For Tabata Mey, the Lyon base remains central. She often recalls how much the city nourishes its cuisine: In 2025, her promotion to the rank of officer of the Order of Agricultural Merit salutes this strong bond with producers and her commitment to responsible food. She insists:
Behind the chef, there is also a mother of three children who leads a life with a bang. She says it bluntly: , linking daily diet, health and transmission. And then, its media visibility and its projects, from haute cuisine to more accessible formats, all extend the same idea: sharing a certain art of living, where work, social responsibility and personal life move forward together.
Who is Tabata Mey?
Tabata Mey is a Lyon chef originally from Rio, trained at the Paul Bocuse Institute, worked in the kitchens of Nicolas Le Bec and today at the head of Les Apothicaires, Ombellule, Brasserie Roseaux and collective projects like Food Traboule.
Which restaurants in Tabata Mey have Michelin stars?
Les Apothecaires obtained a Michelin star in 2020. Ombellule, opened in 2024 in Lyon, was awarded a Michelin star in March 2025, only six months after its opening.
Why did Tabata Mey receive the Order of Agricultural Merit?
Tabata Mey was promoted to Officer of the Order of Agricultural Merit for her commitment to eating well, her support for farmers and her work on the transmission of good eating practices.
