Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 8, 2020 – Spending more time at home than ever due to the social distancing rules needed to contain the coronavirus pandemic, beach volleyball players around the world have put that free time to use in different ways.
For some it has meant developing new workout routines. For others it was time to focus on academic projects. For Brazilian defender Guto Carvalhaes, however, it was an opportunity to focus on one of his true loves – cooking.
Recipes and putting together tasty meals, however, have long been a part of Guto’s life.
A U21 world champion in 2013, the defender grew up in a true volleyball family. His father Marcelo was a former beach volleyball player and is currently a coach. His brother Marcus is a professional player in Brazil, and his sister Maria Clara is currently climbing the rankings in the country’s youth system at the age of 17, following her siblings' path within the sport.
From a very young age, the Carvalhaes siblings were tasked with roles in the kitchen, which helped to fuel Guto's passion for gastronomy.
“In our house, we were always encouraged to help in the kitchen,” the 26-year-old defender explained. “It was not something we necessarily liked when we were kids, but we grew used to it and now all three of us are into it. I really enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. I wish we could just skip cleaning the dishes.”
Guto’s cooking goes from scrambled eggs and steak to desserts including cookies and cassava and coconut cake, a typical dish during the Sao Joao festivities which traditionally take place across the country in the month of June.
In May, he put his Superboy (his nickname) apron on and headed to the kitchen to cook something when he had an idea. And why not post the recipe on Instagram?
“I wanted to keep an open channel with my fans on social media even during these times with no tournaments”, he added. “I first posted a video with my training routine inside my apartment but it didn’t do well at all. Then one day I was going to cook something and decided to record it and post a video of it out of curiosity and it did really well. It’s a fun way to connect with people who follow me and the coolest part is that every time I post a video I get tons of messages saying how the recipe worked and even photos of how it turned out.”
Guto has competed on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour since 2014, winning two gold medals in the process. The first came in 2016 with Saymon Barbosa in Cincinnati and the second in 2017, when he and Pedro Solberg went all the way from a country quota match to gold in Porec.
Winning medals, though, is not the only thing he likes to do while on the road.
“Getting to know a lot of different dishes is one of the parts I enjoy the most about travelling the world,” the Brazilian said. “My taste for food is kind of simple, but I really like trying new things out everywhere I go. Even in a place like China, where food is very different from what I’m used to, I always find something new to try. When I have the time, I enjoy taking gastronomic tours to understand the history and the culture behind a dish. And every time I return home from overseas my bag is loaded with different seasonings and spices for me to try out.”
Follow Guto Carvalhaes on Instagram.
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