Boquinha

So, tell us: Who is Boquinha?

To understand my passion for coffee, it’s essential to know my background. I grew up in one of the most dangerous favelas in the world, Vidigal, during the 1990s. In an environment where violence was a daily occurrence, and black people like me often became mere statistics, faceless numbers, or a punchline in reckless headlines. So, before anything, I am the son of Maria do Carmo Rodrigues Martins and Dejaci Paiva Martins, and I have two sisters, Danielle and Dejanane.

When my father passed away at 38 from a heart attack, I found myself thrust into the role of ‘man of the house’ at just 17 years old. I became responsible for my family’s security and income. While this may sound drastic, I had been helping my father run his small bar in Vidigal since I was eight. I believe my creativity and entrepreneurial spirit were shaped by watching him navigate such a chaotic environment.

I take pride in having survived three wars among criminal factions vying for control of drug-selling territories. However, this survival came with a cost—I lost many beloved friends along the way. I was presented with numerous opportunities to join these criminal factions, lured by promises of guns, beautiful women, and very fat paydays. Nevertheless, I was firm in my answer: NO! I refused to become another body in the streets because I made a powerful promise to my mother: I would never touch a gun. And I never have. The only rod¹ I’ve ever touched is a coffee kettle.

Because of this choice, I had to be creative in finding ways to make money and support my family. So, I’ve dabbled in all sorts of things, such as selling popsicles at the beach, working as a ball kid in fancy tennis clubs, bagging groceries at the supermarket, and waiting tables. As I got older, I was hired as a baker and later as a confectioner at a large supermarket chain. I remember times when I juggled two or three jobs simultaneously, but I’ve never regretted the decision to turn away from crime for a moment.

Why is beach culture, and surfing especially, so important to you?

Favela Vidigal is located near the Leblon neighbourhood, known for having some of the most expensive real estate in the world. The contrast is striking. The beach, however, is free and accessible to everyone. It’s a space where all sorts of people come together—rich people, tourists, athletes, and slum kids like me. It is a democratic place that gave me a chance in life.

Whenever gunfire erupted in Vidigal, my mum would urge us to leave the favela and hit the asphalt. She wanted me far away from the violence while she hid at home with my sisters. One night, the shooting was so intense that I had to spend the night on a bench near the beach because it felt safer. I was just a kid.

To avoid the gun shots, I spent most of my time at the beach, either surfing or selling popsicles. It was there that the sea embraced me and introduced me to new friends from different realities. They began teaching me incredible lessons about surfing, life, and dreams. Marcelo Ribeiro Pessoa, a pro surfer known as Trekinho, became both my friend and my mentor. I consider Marcos Oliveira de Castro Menezes, another renowned pro surfer nicknamed Sifu4 as a father figure to this day. He was the one who gave me my first professional surfboard.

They educated me beyond surfing. They taught me about waves, yes, but also about life, even when many others feared me because I was a kid from the favela. Trekinho and Sifu offered me attention, affection, surfing lessons, food, and helped me find jobs in recent years. They opened doors for me that as a black person from the favela with parents from Northeast of Brazil, I would have never accessed otherwise. They provided me with the tools to take back my right to dream.

Surfing has become my therapy and my life school, which is why it holds such importance for me.

Your career path has not been the most conventional. Can share how you began working in coffee?

Unlike many baristas who start in coffee as a side gig to help pay for university, I started later in life. My interest in coffee began during my time working at a supermarket bakery, but my first real coffee job was at Rubro Café when I was 33 years old. With no formal coffee education, I started as a general service assistant and then transitioned to being a server.

During my shifts, I was always intrigued by the espresso machine, brewing methods, the baristas’ routines, and the amazing coffee profiles. Despite my curiosity, no one recognized my potential as a barista. My chance to work behind the bar finally came on a busy day when one of the baristas was absent. The owner gave me a few minutes’ training, and, for the first time, I felt the joy of being a barista! Uaradei!

At Rubro Café, I met a well known Brazilian champion barista, who was then a business partner at the café. I didn’t realize his significance in the coffee world until my manager explained it to me. Although I was working alongside one of the best professionals, he didn’t train me because I didn’t fit the ‘barista vibe’; I was a surfer with long hair and a skateboard that practically never left my side.

You’ve melded both your passion for coffee and your love of surfing. What do you see as the key elements connecting the two, and why do they make such a great pairing?

Before my shifts, simply put, it is surfing time. Every day at six a.m., I grab my surfboard and coffee gear and head to the beach. After surfing, I brew coffee for my friends against a stunning backdrop. I started sharing my insights about the importance of grinding coffee before brewing and discussing coffee producers and terroir. This has become my morning ritual, sparking interest among pro surfers like Pedro Scooby, Gabriel Medina, and Italo Ferreira.

Through this ritual, I gained a reputation as the surfer known for brewing great coffee and best plant-based cappuccinos. One day, I was surprised when Adriano de Souza (known as Mineirinho—the first Brazilian pro surfer to win the World Surfing Championship in 2015) recognized me and asked to take a picture together. What are the odds? The 14-year-old Boquinha would never have imagined this happening!

You had a very formative and special experience a few years ago in the Maldives. Can you tell us a bit more about that?

A few years ago, I travelled to the Maldives to spend 15 days on a luxury yacht with a group of surfers, making coffee, and sharing my passion for life and, of course, surfing. When the tourist company TRAVEL SA invited me, I was in disbelief! I had just 40 reais ($7) in my pocket. I didn’t even have a passport! They hired me as the official barista for a surfing experience on a gorgeous yacht amid the most perfect waves.

At that time, many people, including myself, were still grappling with the losses brought on my Covid-19. This opportunity felt like a gift. While coffee and surfing were important, the connection we formed as a group was truly profound. Our hearts were aching, and our souls sought guidance. Being surrounded by the ocean was nothing short of magical.

What is Boquinha’s ‘slab’?

My reputation as a barista grew significantly after I opened an Instagram account to share my coffee routine at home during the pandemic. Once the Covid-19 quarantine ended, people started visiting me at home for coffee. I keep several surfboards and coffee equipment in my modest space, which I call my ‘slab’, and I decided to welcome everyone there.

Although it’s not a coffee shop, all sorts of people come to enjoy a cup of coffee with me, all while taking in the stunning view of Vidigal Beach from my slab. I’ve shared coffee with famous people, including Brazilian rappers Emicida and Lennon, actress Carolina Dickman, and, of course, surfing star friends like Gabriel Pastori, Ítalo Ferreira, Gabriel Medina, Sifu, and Trekinho, to mention a few.

I even had the ‘owner’ of Rocinha Favela, the biggest drug dealer in Latin America, visit me with his bodyguards. I strive to coexist peacefully. I believe that only love can end conflict. The word holds power, and I viewed this as an opportunity to discuss peace over specialty coffee. The good news is that he absolutely loved the experience.

You’ve achieved great things through coffee. Is there a specific accomplishment of which you are particularly proud?

We are going to introduce plant-based cappuccinos at the first specialty coffee shop in Rocinha, one of the largest favelas in the world, home to 72,000 residents in Rio de Janeiro. Who says that high-quality coffee and delicious oat milk are only for affluent consumers?! I take great pride in sharing my coffee knowledge, particularly when it is in support of such an important project.

And occupying these pages of Standart to tell my story is a massive milestone for me. As I say, I don’t have any formal coffee education, yet I find myself sharing my experiences alongside huge names, renowned professionals, and coffee champions. I still remember when my boss at NAVEIA, Alex Soderberg, gifted me a copy of Standart and explained that I had been invited to be featured… I was in shock. When I showed the edition (Issue 9, with Lem Butler on the cover—a black man on the cover of a magazine!) to my mother, with tears standing in my eyes, and told her that our story would be shared with the world, she exclaimed in awe, ‘WOW! My boy survived. You made it!’

‘Yes, mum. And coffee was a big part of it,’ I replied, recalling how she and many others had urged me to give up on coffee. It’s understandable; baristas don’t earn much. At that time, I was working for a monthly salary of 950 reais ($150) while trying to support my family.

I want to clarify that my intention is not to share a sob story. I want to express my essence and share an important message with you: no matter the circumstances you were born into, allow yourself to dream. Dreams are free and seeing them come true is a gift. If you believe, anything is possible. I am living proof of that!