João Melo
Born and raised by the seaside in Lisbon, Portugal, Joao’s connection to the ocean has always been strong. He studied black and white photography in Ar.Co, an independent art school before embarking on a career in photojournalism. Joao’s focus on surf photography took him around the globe on assignments for various retail surfing brands and magazines.
Joao decided to pursue his passion for food in 2008 and transitioned to cheffing. His culinary skills brought him to Malaysia in 2013 as a Chef de Cuisine for various restaurants, most recently, he opened his own space, a Deli Shop, called Olívia in Bangsar.
He currently resides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with his wife, Manon.
Manon Victoria Bouté
Originally from France, Manon lived in Vientiane, Laos, from the age of 2, spending most of her childhood on the water with her parents who ran a cruise charter. She then studied Interior Design in the Academie Charpentier in Paris, France. She moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2015 to work in an International Design Company. Aside from spending time exploring the Gyotaku printings, Manon also sketches and paints using watercolours and enjoys spending time horseback riding.
