Featured chefs in Paraíba: who they are and where they cook

Onildo Rocha, Carol Panarotte and Erick Jacquin are among the names most cited by the press in Paraíba's fine dining scene.

The best-known name in Paraíba's signature cuisine is Onildo Rocha. According to Revista Nordeste, in August 2025, the Paraíba-born chef trained in French technique but is devoted to regional Brazilian cuisine, and Cozinha Roccia received the Prazeres da Mesa award for best restaurant in the Northeast. The same report notes that he also works in São Paulo, at the restaurant Priceless, and that he cooked at an official lunch at the Palácio da Alvorada.

In May 2026, Folha de Pernambuco reported that Cozinha Roccia reopened in João Pessoa, in the Tambauzinho neighborhood, after four years. Creative direction began to be shared with the chef's daughter, Ana Luiza, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Brasil, and the kitchen came under the command of Santiago Forconi. According to the same report, Onildo splits his time between João Pessoa, Fernando de Noronha and São Paulo.

At Nui 360, the menu is signed by chef Erick Jacquin, a French chef well known on Brazilian television. In a 2021 report on the capital's chefs, Polêmica Paraíba named Carol Panarotte as the one responsible for executing the restaurant's dishes. In 2026, Paraíba Business presented her at the helm of Tartuferia Savitar, where she speaks about technique, traceability and local products.

Mesa ao Vivo Paraíba, in April 2025, also highlighted local chefs: according to IFPB and Paraíba Business, participants included Carlos Ribeiro, Batista, Cumpade João and Ana Rita Suassuna, alongside Onildo Rocha. The sources consulted do not detail where each of them cooks, so this guide prefers not to indicate addresses for those names.

Menus and teams change, as shown by Cozinha Roccia's own reopening. Before visiting any restaurant, confirm that the chef mentioned is still leading the kitchen.