A new trader, bringing the tastes of Brazil and Portugal to Teddington, had its first day at Ted's market's recent market day on Saturday, 26 April.

Daise Rodrigues, owner of Daise's Kitchen, has been preparing meals since she was 15.

Originally from South Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul, Rodrigues later lived in Portugal before moving to the UK in 1996 with her husband, Carlos.

They met when he walked in the door of a Pizza Hut where she was working as a hostess. He asked her out and they have now been married for 32 years and have two sons.

Rodrigues said: "My passion for cooking started in Brazil, where weekends ended at my parents' house, surrounded by family and friends."

That passion later evolved into a business when she launched her company in 2015, catering to outdoor markets with dishes she knew her "customers would love". Today, her Portuguese and Brazilian offerings extend to private orders, corporate events, and catering services. 

Rodrigues carefully curates her menu based on customer feedback, noting that her bestsellers include Brazilian empanadas (chicken, beef and chorizo, ham, and cheese), pastéis de nata (custard tarts), and feijoada.

Other popular dishes include Portuguese salted cod (bacalhau) cakes and home-style meals that blend traditions from both nations. 

Daise's \kitchen's bestsellers include Brazilian empanadas (chicken, beef and chorizo, ham, and cheese), pastéis de nata (custard tarts), and feijoada (Credit: Kitt Garrett)

Among her customers is Mariana Utsumi, a Brazilian expatriate who moved to Teddington six years ago with her family.

Utsumi and her two children, Raphael, six, and Cecilia, nine, were happy to find Daise's Kitchen serving familiar dishes from their homeland. 

Mariana Utsumi moved to Teddington from Brazil six years ago (Credit: Kitt Garrett)

Utsumi said: "There are all these delicious memories of home. They take time to make, so being able to purchase them is wonderful." 

For Rodrigues, the joy of her work lies in community connections. Customers do not just stop by to purchase food—they engage with her as a friend. 

She said: "I send my husband sometimes to trade, but he sells half of what I sell because people don't stop—they're looking for me!"

Rodrigues has developed friendships with her customers and invites them to her kitchen for Brazilian coffee and shares conversations as if they were lifelong friends. 

She said: "That's why I enjoy my job so much. It's not just about food—it's about people, memories, and moments shared."  

Ted's Market runs from 10am – 2pm in the car park of The King's Head on the second and last Saturday of each month.