There have been several high-profile stories in the past few months about the rise of upscale restaurants and dining culture in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. A new development in Rio is Regina Tchelly’s Favela Orgânica project, which is changing the way food is used and thought about in the Babilônia favela. Tchelly’s mission is to take the parts of ingredients that are mostly thrown away, and use them in new and interesting ways. Seems like a mission that can – and should – expand throughout Rio and beyond!