Inspired by the seasonal ingredients in her native Timor-Leste, Nuqy transforms the edible biodiversity of this tropical island into the sublime. Nuqy specializes in working with the many varieties of rice, corn and rare root vegetables found in the remote villages where she grew up. Nuqy has been Head Chef at Agora Food Studio Since 2019 and is a founding member of the organization since its opening in 2016. As well as curating the restaurant’s ever-changing menu, she is the lead facilitator of the Timor-Leste Food Innovators Exchange (TLFIX) project that works with Timorese entrepreneurs and communities to increase the presence of nutritious local foods in people’s diets. Nuqy has represented Agora Food Studio internationally at the 2017 Eat Asia-Pacific Food Forum in Jakarta and has more recently travelled to Fukui, Japan, and Bali, Indonesia, as part of gastronomic exchanges.