Thaisa Fernandes is a program manager in tech, podcast host, and author who just launched her memoir cookbook, Vegan Anniversary in the Bay Area. As a Brazilian living in San Francisco, her perspective brings a unique twist to plant-based cuisine, culture, and community.
For years, Thaisa dreamed of creating a cookbook that celebrated her decade as a vegan while showcasing the diversity of Brazilian cuisine beyond what’s typically known outside Brazil. But like many creative projects, it kept getting postponed – until her friend Izabelle Alvares suggested they collaborate on a zine together. That idea turned into something bigger: a full memoir cookbook with high-quality printing, professional photography, and personal stories tied to every recipe.
Two months into the project, Izabelle discovered she was pregnant. As Thaisa puts it, “She was creating both a book and a human baby at the same time. If that’s not an accomplishment, I don’t know what is!”
In this episode, Thaisa shares how she balances her tech career with creative projects, the process of self-publishing a cookbook, and why having a “badass friend” to make things happen with you might be all you need.
You’ll learn about:
- How Thaisa balanced a 12+ year tech career as a program manager with launching a memoir cookbook
- How an idea to create a zine evolved into a full hardcover book
- Why collaboration matters: how working with a friend made the project possible
- How to veganize traditional Brazilian recipes (including the holy grail: pão de queijo) after years of experimentation
