Kate Oliveira lives between Lisbon, travel, and new creative projects. Her years of modeling taught her to see the frame; international marketing taught her to understand meaning; and life across different countries taught her to discover culture through atmosphere, people, and taste. After a pause connected to the pandemic and motherhood, Kate is returning to an idea that has inspired her for a long time: an exclusive experiences project — an author's guide and a private community for people who see gastronomy wellness not as simply trends, but as an experience that make life worth living.
Kate, what does “living with taste” mean to you today?
For me, living with taste means having the freedom to choose what truly feels good: the right places, the right people, the right atmosphere, the right energy. It is not only about luxury, it is about pleasure with awareness, beauty with soul, and knowing what is worth your time. I always say: if you want to live well, you gotta know the right people, because the best experiences are often opened through trust, culture, and connection.
Why do so many women still find it difficult to allow themselves pleasure without guilt?
Because many women are still taught that pleasure has to be deserved. We learn to earn rest, justify enjoyment, take care of everyone else first, and only then ask ourselves what we want. These patterns are deeply rooted in society, where for a long time a woman’s value was connected to sacrifice, service, beauty, motherhood, or productivity. But I believe this is changing. We are witnessing a beautiful rise of female consciousness: women are becoming more aware of their bodies, desires, creativity, boundaries, and their right to live fully. For me, pleasure is not selfishness. It is a way of returning to ourselves. It is presence, freedom, and the ability to experience life without asking for permission.
"Pleasure, for me, is not a reward. It is a way of being present in my own life."
You lived in Cambodia, and recently traveled to Bali — what has Asia taught you about food and the pleasure of life?
Asia taught me to look at food not only as taste, but as a cultural code. Through gastronomy, you can see the soul of a people: their traditions, hospitality, relationship with nature, rituals, and simple joys. In Cambodia and Bali, I was deeply impressed by how people can have very little, yet remain open, smiling, and generous. It reminds you that the pleasure of life is not always connected to luxury. Very often, it is found in simple things: spices, aromas, conversations, atmosphere. I love discovering new flavors and ingredients. For me, it feels almost like learning a new language. One of the experiences that stayed with me most in Bali was dinner at Merlin’s in Ubud, a restaurant built around the idea that “the food chooses you.” I selected the seven-card experience, in which oracle cards revealed my personalized five-course menu, accompanied by a signature drink and several surprises. I love a good mystery, so surrendering the choice and allowing the evening to unfold gradually made it especially captivating. It was not simply dinner, but a carefully staged journey combining gastronomy, storytelling, atmosphere and theatre. For me, this is what a truly premium experience can be: not only excellent food, but an idea strong enough to involve you emotionally and become part of the memory of the destination.
In your opinion, what makes a restaurant truly unforgettable?
For me, a restaurant becomes unforgettable when the cuisine, the atmosphere, and the emotion come together as one experience. I have an almost photographic memory for flavors: if a dish truly impressed me, I can remember it for years, together with the moment, the light, the mood, and the feeling of that evening. The food itself is very important, but the magic is created by the combination of details: the service, the atmosphere, the concept of the place, and the rhythm of the dinner. Recently, I was impressed by Merlin’s in Ubud, Bali, where the dishes were connected to tarot cards that you had to draw from a deck. It felt as if you were not choosing your dinner, but the dinner was choosing you. For me, that is a true experience: when a restaurant leaves behind not only a taste, but a story.
What kind of Lisbon are you hoping to show through your exclusive experiences project?
Through this project, I want to show a Lisbon that is elegant, soulful, and deeply sensory. Not only the obvious postcard Lisbon, but the city you discover through taste, atmosphere, people, design, history, and emotion. Lisbon’s gastronomic scene is becoming very interesting: tradition is still alive, but it is now meeting creativity, premium hospitality, beautiful interiors, wine culture, and a new generation of chefs. I want to curate experiences that reveal this balance between authenticity and refinement. I want to show Lisbon as a city where food becomes memory.
How did your years in front of the camera shape the way you tell visual stories today?
More than 20 years in fashion gave me an incredibly valuable education, not only as a model working internationally, but also as someone who spent years observing photographers, stylists, makeup artists, art directors, and entire creative teams at work. Being on set teaches you things that no theory can fully explain: how light changes a face, how a small gesture can tell a story, and how styling, location, mood, and rhythm can completely transform an image. So yes, my eye is trained for aesthetics, but even more than that, I learned to respect creative collaboration. I love working with talented people, learning from them, and exchanging ideas. That is what truly ignites me and moves me through life and through my projects: the possibility to turn a vision into something visible, emotional, and alive.
And Ukraine — where does it live in your work today?
Ukraine is always close. I collaborate with Ukrainian designers and brands whenever I can, and I want to organically bring Ukrainian names into international lifestyle and cultural conversations. At the moment, I am working with a young and beautiful silk accessories brand called EMBRACE, born in Lisbon and inspired by Petrykivka painting. I love this project because it carries Ukrainian heritage in a very elegant, contemporary way. I believe the world needs to see Ukrainian creativity not only through the context of war, but also through the full, rich context of culture, beauty, craftsmanship, and talent. From where I am, this is something I can contribute to: helping Ukrainian brands and stories find their place in a broader international conversation.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Ivan Boiko
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: Mia Orlova
CREATIVE AND ART DIRECTION: Kate Oliveira
RETOUCHING: Kateryna Sydorenko
Catarina Boichenko
HAIR & MAKE UP: Yulia Ochkan
NAILS: 20.02 Beauty Space - Olga Zamiatina
