First there was nothing. Then, oh my.
Cod swam forth through the vast expanse.
Into the very fabric of culture and human memory.
From romans to lost recipes, by ravaging seas and the
sundering earth…
It began. A sparkle of life.
The porcalhau
(2016)
First there was nothing. Then, oh my.
Cod swam forth through the vast expanse.
Into the very fabric of culture and human memory.
From romans to lost recipes, by ravaging seas and the
sundering earth…
It began. A sparkle of life.
The porcalhau
(2016)
Being a local myself, born and raised in Lisbon
(Alfama), I was fascinated by the city and then
Portugal in general.
(Alfama), I was fascinated by the city and then
Portugal in general.
𝗚𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀. Through them, I was constantly creating opportunities to explore the country and to share it with my closest friends.
I can feel myself traveling, in the deepest sense, in my own country. 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲, 𝗮 ‘𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿’ 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀. This momentary external gaze, this decentered position, and genuine curiosity is not always easy to foster in a local native, but it’s essential to ‘really see’ what we have in front of us, and to nurture the admiration and the passion for something (or someone!) you are in touch with every day, sometimes since the day you were born.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗜 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 and 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, even collecting money to offer free clinical consultations to migrants and refugees, during a period where we had no funding.
I could be doing what I love, sharing it with endless cultures and people while funding part of my clinical work.
So, I started this journey in 2016 and, step by step, Oh! My Cod grew organically, expanding to the Azores islands and the Alentjo region, thanks to all of you!
I can feel myself traveling, in the deepest sense, in my own country. 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲, 𝗮 ‘𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿’ 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀. This momentary external gaze, this decentered position, and genuine curiosity is not always easy to foster in a local native, but it’s essential to ‘really see’ what we have in front of us, and to nurture the admiration and the passion for something (or someone!) you are in touch with every day, sometimes since the day you were born.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗜 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 and 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, even collecting money to offer free clinical consultations to migrants and refugees, during a period where we had no funding. I could be doing what I love, sharing it with endless cultures and people while funding part of my clinical work.
So, I started this journey in 2016 and, step by step, Oh! My Cod grew organically, expanding to the Azores islands and the Alentjo region, thanks to all of you!
An Anthony Bourdain-esque experience
“Silvia is truly an expert on all things Lisboa! She is so fun and personable and not only knows
Lisboa gastronomy but city history as well. This is a food AND history tour. She shows the best
Lisboa gastronomy but city history as well. This is a food AND history tour. She shows the best
spots in the city which I wouldn’t have ever found on my own. If you’re looking for an Anthony
Bourdain-esque experience, THIS IS IT!
Kyle Ferguson
New Jersey, USA
Bourdain-esque experience, THIS IS IT!
Kyle Ferguson
New Jersey, USA
I was inspired to merge my background in anthropology and my love for Portugal and food, with this conscious travel mindset to create impactful traveler experiences to other people.
Now we are a small team of food experts and cultural mediators and we’ve welcomed over 20,000 guests and collected more than 6000 five-starts reviews.
In 2024, 𝗢𝗵! 𝗠𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 & 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘀 was recognised as 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 in Portugal, receiving the 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 from Turismo de Portugal.
WHAT ARE MY PASSIONS
Research
Fieldwork
Colect stories, and discover hidden gems. Considering Oh! My Cod, research would be centered on food and using this as a way to explore specific problematics but also as a way to establish connections.
Fieldwork
Colect stories, and discover hidden gems. Considering Oh! My Cod, research would be centered on food and using this as a way to explore specific problematics but also as a way to establish connections.
Travel People
Unknown
In Portugal and aborad. Food is a great way to connect with people and to have access to endless cultural representation and cultural transformations.
Unknown
In Portugal and aborad. Food is a great way to connect with people and to have access to endless cultural representation and cultural transformations.
Write and
Research Fieldwork
Narrate subalten voices, interpret what we “see”, be the mediator between what we perceive and the other (reader/listener/local).
Create new connections between elements and then new meanings.
Research Fieldwork
Narrate subalten voices, interpret what we “see”, be the mediator between what we perceive and the other (reader/listener/local).
Create new connections between elements and then new meanings.
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS
OR WHAT I FIGHT FOR
Be part of the word
change
Become the narrator and participant
of a cultural change, be part of the
local transformations
OR WHAT I FIGHT FOR
Be part of the word
change
Become the narrator and participant
of a cultural change, be part of the
local transformations
Transformative
Tourism
Experience and the only way to personal transformation, manful and imersive experiences, slow down approach, communal sharing, commensal featings, develop critical thinking.
Tourism
Experience and the only way to personal transformation, manful and imersive experiences, slow down approach, communal sharing, commensal featings, develop critical thinking.
Sustainable
Experiences
Authentic interpersonal connections, exclusive experiences, experiences co-constructed with all the protagonists
Experiences
Authentic interpersonal connections, exclusive experiences, experiences co-constructed with all the protagonists
Shake common/dominant
narratives
Give voice to locals (Storie, narratives, knowledge), “the subaltern speaks”, diversity in speech against hegemonic narratives, subversive stories, counter discourses.
narratives
Give voice to locals (Storie, narratives, knowledge), “the subaltern speaks”, diversity in speech against hegemonic narratives, subversive stories, counter discourses.
MY POSITIONPRINCIPLES | VALUES | EPISTEMOLOGICAL POSITION
MY POSITION
PRINCIPLES | VALUES | EPISTEMOLOGICAL POSITION
PRINCIPLES | VALUES | EPISTEMOLOGICAL POSITION
Slow food travel in PortugalOur model of travel and food experiences is made up of meetings and exchanges. Small-group food and cultural traveler experiences. Connecting authentically with locals, working with locally own business only, promoting sustainable travel experiences and food biodiversity and keeping a diverse and inclusive perspective.
Be sustainable and glocal as a host and as a traveler
By glocal we mean to stress the urgency of going beyond the expired dichotomies of local and global but also tradition and modernity, native and foreign.
Be eclectic, act, and think accordingly.
This is reflected in the way we design our experiences, but also through the members who comprise of our team, with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. We always aim to have an eclectic team, with personal interests and ideas, ‘outside’ from Oh! My Cod Tours. Because this is what an interesting and happy host is.
Slow food travel in Portugal
Our model of travel and food experiences is made up of meetings and exchanges. Small-group food and cultural traveler experiences. Connecting authentically with locals, working with locally own business only, promoting sustainable travel experiences and food biodiversity and keeping a diverse and inclusive perspective.
Be sustainable and glocal as a host and as a traveler
By glocal we mean to stress the urgency of going beyond the expired dichotomies of local and global but also tradition and modernity, native and foreign.
Be eclectic, act, and think accordingly.
Our model of travel and food experiences is made up of meetings and exchanges. Small-group food and cultural traveler experiences. Connecting authentically with locals, working with locally own business only, promoting sustainable travel experiences and food biodiversity and keeping a diverse and inclusive perspective.
Be sustainable and glocal as a host and as a traveler
By glocal we mean to stress the urgency of going beyond the expired dichotomies of local and global but also tradition and modernity, native and foreign.
Be eclectic, act, and think accordingly.
This is reflected in the way we design our experiences, but also through the members who comprise of our team, with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. We always aim to have an eclectic team, with personal interests and ideas, ‘outside’ from Oh! My Cod Tours. Because this is what an interesting and happy host is.
Our contemporary world is best understood when we replace the gap between these concepts with connections. Local communities are better understood when we place them within a broader global context. The classical “native” perspective — or the idea of a “native legitimacy” as the ultimate representation and truth of a specific culture or community — is outdated. There is no such thing.
We are no longer defined exclusively by geographical borders or by traditional and folkloric practices. Instead, while traveling and living in a certain place, we come to better understand what we experience, observe, eat, and see through a combination of perspectives and positions, and through the interplay between “insider” and “outsider” viewpoints.
Our contemporary world is best understood when we replace the gap between these concepts with connections. Local communities are better understood when we place them within a broader global context. The classical “native” perspective — or the idea of a “native legitimacy” as the ultimate representation and truth of a specific culture or community — is outdated. There is no such thing.
We are no longer defined exclusively by geographical borders or by traditional and folkloric practices. Instead, while traveling and living in a certain place, we come to better understand what we experience, observe, eat, and see through a combination of perspectives and positions, and through the interplay between “insider” and “outsider” viewpoints.
We are no longer defined exclusively by geographical borders or by traditional and folkloric practices. Instead, while traveling and living in a certain place, we come to better understand what we experience, observe, eat, and see through a combination of perspectives and positions, and through the interplay between “insider” and “outsider” viewpoints.
This is true whether we are in contemporary Lisbon, the Portuguese countryside, or anywhere else in the world. It is through this approach that we create sustainable, meaningful experiences and encounters.
Critical thinking.Applied to everyday life but also to history and culture. Be sensitive to multiple perspectives around the same content.
The best way to learn and be transformed is through experience.
As my clinical and therapeutic work shows — and as many scholars have demonstrated — we need to experience something firsthand in order to truly connect with it, relate to it, incorporate it, and ultimately be transformed by it. We learn through experience.
Traveling changes us all.Living local, impactful, and meaningful experiences through a “glocal” perspective — while sharing different viewpoints — transforms all of us for the better.
Oh! My Cod, works with gastronomy in an eclectic and holistic approach, as a medium to narrate several voices, cultures, generations and different perspectives – namely the subversive ones – through immersive experiences and human encounters, where we all become cultural narrators.
OUR CENTER = OUR GUESTS
All these beautiful faces are unique — each with their own personality, energy, tastes, fantasies, caprices, shyness, and vulnerabilities. And we love that.
It is precisely this diversity that enriches us and gives depth to every encounter we create — making each experience authentic, dynamic, un
predictable, creative, and truly alive.
This is our philosophy.
This is what we believe in.
This is what we do.
After all, we were all strangers once. Yet somehow, through shared tables, conversations, landscapes, food, wine, and time, we become connected. And sometimes, those connections even grow into friendships.
We build invisible bridges.
How do we do it?
All these beautiful faces are unique — each with their own personality, energy, tastes, fantasies, caprices, shyness, and vulnerabilities. And we love that.
It is precisely this diversity that enriches us and gives depth to every encounter we create — making each experience authentic, dynamic, un
predictable, creative, and truly alive.This is our philosophy.
This is what we believe in.
This is what we do.
After all, we were all strangers once. Yet somehow, through shared tables, conversations, landscapes, food, wine, and time, we become connected. And sometimes, those connections even grow into friendships.
We build invisible bridges.
How do we do it?
By working with some of the most passionate hosts you could hope to meet — open, warm, empathetic, genuine, sensitive yet assertive, adventurous yet responsible, deeply knowledgeable yet always curious and willing to learn from every encounter.
By keeping our groups intentionally small and our experiences meaningful, informative, intimate, and joyful.
By keeping our groups intentionally small and our experiences meaningful, informative, intimate, and joyful.
OUR CENTER = OUR GUESTS
All these beautiful faces are unique — each with their own personality, energy, tastes, fantasies, caprices, shyness, and vulnerabilities. And we love that.
It is precisely this diversity that enriches us and gives depth to every encounter we create — making each experience authentic, dynamic, unpredictable, creative, and truly alive.
This is our philosophy.
This is what we believe in.
This is what we do.
After all, we were all strangers once. Yet somehow, through shared tables, conversations, landscapes, food, wine, and time, we become connected. And sometimes, those connections even grow into friendships.
We build invisible bridges.
How do we do it?
All these beautiful faces are unique — each with their own personality, energy, tastes, fantasies, caprices, shyness, and vulnerabilities. And we love that.
It is precisely this diversity that enriches us and gives depth to every encounter we create — making each experience authentic, dynamic, un
predictable, creative, and truly alive.This is our philosophy.
This is what we believe in.
This is what we do.
After all, we were all strangers once. Yet somehow, through shared tables, conversations, landscapes, food, wine, and time, we become connected. And sometimes, those connections even grow into friendships.
We build invisible bridges.
How do we do it?
By working with some of the most passionate hosts you could hope to meet — open, warm, empathetic, genuine, sensitive yet assertive, adventurous yet responsible, deeply knowledgeable yet always curious and willing to learn from every encounter.
By keeping our groups intentionally small and our experiences meaningful, informative, intimate, and joyful.
By keeping our groups intentionally small and our experiences meaningful, informative, intimate, and joyful.
Whether you join us with friends, family, or entirely on your own, each experience is shaped around the people who are part of it - including you.