My Life Story: 'Becoming a Head Chef at 18 changed things for me'

Every person has a story. Some begin on the streets of Cork and lead around the world. Others start elsewhere before finding a home in the Rebel County.

In this series, I will meet people from all walks of life and explore the journeys that shaped them, the challenges they overcame, the lessons they learned, and the moments that changed everything.

From business leaders and sports stars to community champions, artists, entrepreneurs and local legends, this series celebrates the people, places and experiences that make Cork such a remarkable place.

To launch My Life Story, I caught up with chef Victor Franca, the brilliant Brazilian flame maestro of the Nua Asador eaterie at the Marina Market. Victor takes us on his journey through life, career, and most importantly cooking and food.

Q: Tell us a little about where you grew up, Victor, and what you imagined your future might look like when you were young.

I grew up in Brazil, and, to be honest, I don’t think when I was very young I had a clear picture of what my future would look like. What I did know quite early was that I loved food and the environment of a kitchen.

I started cooking professionally very young and became a Head Chef at just 18.

From there, food ended up taking me much further than I could ever have imagined.

I worked in different restaurants in Brazil, had opportunities to cook alongside and learn from some incredible chefs, and eventually made the decision to move to Ireland.

Q: How has your career evolved in Ireland?

Ireland became a huge part of my career and my life.

I’ve now spent more than 15 years in kitchens, most of that in senior and Head Chef roles. I’ve been lucky enough to work and stage in Michelin-starred kitchens including 3- Michelin stared Frantzén in Stockholm, Greenhouse and Aimsir in Ireland, as well as running kitchens here in Cork, doing my own events, pop-ups, and cooking demonstrations.

These days, I think I’m at another exciting point in that journey. I’m taking everything I’ve learned from fine dining, fire cooking, Brazilian food and Irish produce, and figuring out what the next chapter looks like for me.

Q: What first set you on the path towards the career or life you have today, and was there a moment when you realised, ‘This is what I want to do’?

I don’t think there was one dramatic moment. I started so young that cooking almost grew up with me.

What really hooked me was the energy of kitchens. There’s pressure, creativity, teamwork and a constant pursuit of making something better. I loved that, even as a teenager.

Becoming a Head Chef at 18 probably changed things for me because suddenly it wasn’t just a job. I had responsibility for a kitchen and for other people, and I realised how much I wanted to learn.

Since then, I’ve always chased experiences that scare me a little bit or put me somewhere that I’m not the best person in the room.

That’s why I’ve gone into kitchens like Aimsir, The Greenhouse and Frantzén.

Even after years as a Head Chef, I’m still happy to walk into another kitchen and become a student again. I think that’s when you keep growing.

Q: Every journey has obstacles. What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and how did it shape the person you became?

Moving from Brazil to Ireland was probably one of the biggest.

You’re leaving behind your home, your culture, your language and the network you’ve built, and essentially starting again.

In hospitality especially, reputation is very local. It doesn’t matter what you think you can do, when you arrive somewhere new, you have to prove yourself again.

At times, that was difficult, but it was probably one of the best things that happened to me. It taught me humility and resilience. It also made me much more open-minded about food.

I came to Ireland as a Brazilian chef, but over the years, I’ve learned to understand Irish ingredients, producers and food culture.

Eventually, those two worlds stopped feeling separate. The food I cook now is a reflection of both.

Q: Looking back, was there a particular person, opportunity, or decision that changed the direction of your life?

Definitely my mum is one that really encouraged me throughout my career, pushing me to always be curious and passionate about on what I do in life.

Moving to Ireland definitely changed the direction of my life, but another important decision was choosing to keep putting myself into environments where I could learn.

Going into Michelin-starred kitchens when I was already an established Head Chef was very intentional. I didn’t go there because I needed another title. I went because I wanted to see what excellence looked like at that level.

Spending time at Frantzén in Stockholm in particular was something very special. You’re looking at a 3-Michelin-star kitchen and seeing the level of organisation, precision, and thought that goes into every tiny detail.

Those experiences changed the way I think about cooking, but strangely they’ve also pushed me towards simplicity. You realise that great cooking isn’t necessarily about putting more things on a plate. Sometimes, it’s about having an amazing ingredient, cooking it properly over fire, seasoning it well, and having the confidence to leave it alone.

Q: Of everything you’ve achieved so far, what are you most proud of, and what makes that achievement meaningful to you?

There are individual moments. I’m incredibly proud of becoming a Head Chef so young, being recognised as one of the finalists for Best Young Chef in Ireland, working in Michelin-starred restaurants, and having opportunities to cook at some brilliant events.

But I’m probably most proud of the whole journey rather than one award or one kitchen.

I left Brazil and built a career and a life in another country from the ground up. I’ve been able to earn people’s trust here, lead teams, create my own food, and eventually have people recognise that food as mine.

When somebody comes to an event specifically because they know I’m cooking, or tells me they remember a dish I cooked for them years ago, that means more to me than a title.

Food is supposed to create memories, so knowing I’ve managed to do that for people is probably the achievement I’m proudest of.

Q: Your journey has taken you to where you are today, but what values, lessons or sense of home have stayed with you along the way, and what advice would you give someone starting their own journey?

Brazil will always be home in one sense, and Ireland has become home in another. I think my cooking carries pieces of both places now.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to stay curious and never believe you’ve finished learning.

Kitchens can be very ego-driven environments, but ego can stop you from improving. I’ve been a Head Chef and then deliberately put myself back at the bottom of another kitchen because I knew there was something there I wanted to learn.

I’d tell someone starting out not to be obsessed with titles or how quickly they can become a Head Chef. Chase knowledge instead. Work with people who are better than you. Ask questions. Travel if you can. Make mistakes. Learn where your ingredients come from. And don’t try so hard to cook like somebody else.

Eventually, your experiences where you grew up, the people you’ve met, the places you’ve lived, even the mistakes you’ve made become your own style.

And probably most importantly: enjoy it. Food is serious, and kitchens are demanding, but at the end of the day we’re cooking for people. There should still be some joy in that.