Bold Dreams – from Gourmet Chef to leading NASA’s Innovation Marathon

Guest: Leka Hattori, NASA's Space Apps Challenge
CEO @spaceterrahub | local lead for NASA Space Apps challenge | Analog Astronaut | TEDx Speaker | Chef | International speaker | Pilgrim

In this episode of the Space Cafe Podcast, Markus delves into the extraordinary journey of Leka Hattori, from being a world-class chef to leading NASA's Space Apps Challenge. They discuss the significance of following one’s dreams, the impact of solitude and self-reflection, and the innovative potential unlocked through NASA's global hackathons.

Guest Background:

Leka Hattori is an inspiring figure who transitioned from a successful culinary career, serving high-profile clients like Tom Cruise and the Royal Family, to organizing NASA's largest innovation marathon. Originally from Brazil, she now spearheads the NASA Space Apps Challenge, fostering open science and innovation worldwide.

Episode Highlights:

The Unlikely Path:

• Leka’s Journey: Transitioning from a chef in London to a key figure in NASA's innovation programs, driven by her passion for space.

The Camino Journey:

• Solitude and Reflection: Leka's transformative experience hiking the Camino de Santiago and its impact on her personal growth and sense of control.

NASA Space Apps Challenge:

• Overview: An open innovation hackathon held in over 200 cities worldwide, encouraging solutions to Earth and space-related problems using open data from NASA and other space agencies.
• Youth Engagement: Leka’s strategy to involve university and high school students, promoting creativity and genuine innovation.
• Notable Challenges: Deep space communication, sustainability issues, and innovative solutions proposed by participants.

Innovation and Talent:

• Diverse Skills Needed: NASA's interest in talents beyond traditional technical roles, such as farming for space agriculture.
• Educational Approach: Involving educators as mentors to nurture creativity and innovation.

Notable Quotes:

• Leka Hattori: "It's simple to take time to listen to yourself. It's not easy, but it's simple."

Additional Resources:

• Learn more about NASA's Space Apps Challenge: NASA Space Apps Challenge
• Leka's Choice for the Spotify Playlist: Ivete Sangalo e Maria Bethânia - Muito Obrigado Axé -> https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/track/5oUlosj4oD6XzvdcJ1uNX0?si=cb5d268a04884fbc

Stay Connected:

• Subscribe for more inspiring stories: Space Cafe Podcast on Apple Podcasts

You can find us on Spotify and Apple Podcast!

Please visit us at SpaceWatch.Global, subscribe to our newsletters. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Transcript

[00:00:00]

[00:00:05] Markus: Hello everyone, this is Space Cafe Podcast and I'm Markus. This is going to be one you may like, one from the shelf of highly unlikely projects, highly unlikely because my guest is kind of unusual as many of our guests are on this show.

[00:00:35] So, the story goes like this. I'm traveling with a group of exceptionally interesting people from all over the world when someone approaches me and tells me about this woman who manages NASA's biggest innovation tank after leaving a mind blowing, blossoming career as a chef. Cooking for no other than Tom Cruise, Angela Merkel, the Royal Family, and so on.

[00:01:00] Admittedly, I was intrigued, as you can imagine, and so I walked over to meet Leica Hattori from Brazil. We knew we were gonna record an episode, but we couldn't record right off the bat as usual, so we scheduled a recording date. But Leka tells me that she would be off for two weeks hiking the legendary Camino to Santiago de Compostela, you know, the one Camino a certain Paolo Coelho made famous 20 years ago in his novel called The Pilgrimage.

[00:01:33] I was even more intrigued, and so we decided to reconvene upon Leica's return. Ladies and gentlemen, this one may be a masterclass in following one's dream you have been waiting for. Enjoy! 

[00:01:53] Leka: It's quite a challenge having no one to talk with and just [00:02:00] talking to yourself, know, it was. It was a very good experience.

[00:02:07] Markus: Did you find what you were looking for? HG. 

[00:02:10] Leka: Well, I'm thinking I had, I did, seems like got the control back into my life in a way that, that was something that I wanted to do like 20 something years ago. And, and I had this excuse, okay. I had a problem in my food, but when it was all completely good, why I didn't go back to that? Thing that I wanted and then why I didn't, why, how did I fit things that I wanted to do into my life? Because, you know, life goes on, goes on, things happens and I have to make money. I have to make this and I have to go to that, to that, to that. And you always put in behind. Things that you wanted. And I'm very privileged. I done a lots of things that I wanted, but few others in behind. And I felt like I had the control of my own life, at least my dreams or what I want. Not only from work and all this kind of thing as a person.

[00:03:28] Markus: Beautiful. SL. I'm wondering how we can, do we have to walk that Camino maybe in a literal or Symbolic way in order to get back control over our lives. It's I'm just wondering, because I think we're all part or many of our listeners are part of that machine that we're all in. We're playing a role, a cogwheel in a huge machine.

[00:03:58] And the question is, how do we, [00:04:00] how do we get back control in all of this? But maybe this is a different story. Exactly. 

[00:04:10] Leka: I think it's the Camino is not for everyone. There are people that never about it. Anyway, I even have friends that, well, you, you don't want, uh, but I think the point is we need to to ourselves. We need to take a time. You and yourself, music, a podcast, not a TV, or even a test message, nothing. Just take, the Camino is this, take a time for yourself, for your thoughts, organize them in somehow. And sometimes you will not like what, um, that makes you because you are surrounded of so many. know, it's easier. See, we are talking here. We are, uh, we are on WhatsApp. You can, you cannot be alone, but sometimes you need to be with yourself.

[00:05:22] That for me is, for me is the Caminho. And doesn't matter

[00:05:27] if you walk or hike.

[00:05:30] Markus: And this Camino is, is literally everywhere, everywhere you are. Um, you don't, you don't have to travel to Portugal I had a very fun experience, I think it was during winter, and I was in touch with the ESA folks for the HERA mission, the Planetary Defense Mission.

[00:05:49] And the, one of the directors, principal investigator, Patrick Michel, um, I was, I was chatting with and I was complaining that I [00:06:00] had to wait for my connection train on the train station for such a long time. . And we were talking, I was talking about how to occupy myself and kill time. And he was like, this is the perfect moment for you to just do nothing and just observe. Observe people. Do not listen to anything. Do not listen to podcasts. Do not, like, immerse or engage with your smartphone.

[00:06:25] Just do nothing and watch. And I think that was, that stuck with me for some reason. And I think this is exactly where this, the Camino experience that you're describing is transferable even to a train station. At least this is how I see it. Exactly. 

[00:06:44] Leka: Yeah. Pretty much what you say. Like, uh, people say like. We need to be in this moment, in this present moment, and I was a very anxious person. person before thinking about this, the future and this and this and not living this present moment. .

[00:07:04] And that's the thing. Every person needs to find what is better or what is possible. To be honest, because the end it's simple. It's really simple to take time for listen to yourself. It's not easy, but it's simple.

[00:07:23] Markus: Lekha, to be super honest, I cannot imagine that you're an anxious person because from, um, we have talked quite a bit when you were over here in Vienna, when we were traveling through Austria a couple of weeks ago, you told me about your Absolutely mind blowing life story. And such a life story cannot beat a story of an anxious person.

[00:07:47] Completely impossible. Let's just start from right where we are at right now. Your main occupation is that you're the head of NASA's [00:08:00] Innovation Marathon, right? The biggest NASA Innovation Marathon NASA can offer. Can you Uh, quickly talk about it, what this is all about. 

[00:08:12] Leka: Well, it's called the NASA Space Apps Challenge. It's been happening since 2011. I've been, it's going to be seven years now. They pretty much, it's run by NASA from the Earth Science Division. It's an open, uh, open innovation, open size, uh, pretty much, uh, happens in October in more than cities all over the world.

[00:08:46] In Brazil specifically, we have 60 cities and I represent this event for five cities. And they release, NASA has partnered with other space agencies like ESA, AJAX, the Canadian one, even the Brazilian one, and they released 22, 24 different challenges. Which goes from sustainability or earth problems to the space and deep space problems that the space agents are working at the moment which I found first time when I done it, amazing was we get the open data. During the weekend, during the hackathon, the marathon, and the data, not even from nasa, but from esa, from uh, adjuncts, from, uh, Canadian amazing data satellites and whatever. And then we, uh, the teams have to solve them, the challenge that they choose. then, uh, [00:10:00] in each city. Decide to just like, uh, local judge and decide for two or three projects.

[00:10:07] And we submitted that for the word stage where all the cities had, uh, submitted like three or two projects and NASA choose 10, only 10. We have some, uh, we have a team that won in 2019 and

[00:10:25] Markus: Fantastic. 

[00:10:26] Leka: NASA does, yeah, they invited, they invite those people, those teams to come and visit NASA. But not only like this store center, things like this, we go and we meet people from NASA, special people from the headquarters.

[00:10:42] . And that was, it was amazing. So it's a way that NASA, of course, uh, spread about the data and all these things, but for the person, it's a very, very interesting way to get it started This world of space, of data, and working in teams, meeting people. It's really cool. It's really nice.

[00:11:11] Markus: So what is the goal of all of this? Is the goal for NASA to find or to crowdsource problems and find solutions, um, by crowdsourcing them or what is the overall impetus? Why, why would NASA do something like that? 

[00:11:28] Leka: Well, they, we do all in one platform, in a website, that is NASA, course, they have so many. We're talking about last year was 33, 000 people that had participated on this. So imagine how many projects They have, it's like, uh, [00:12:00] data for sure. Uh, they may, they, they have used some projects. They don't give credit. I, so far, we don't know if they have some, uh, gave some credits or anything, but one thing's for sure, they have as well, so many. Data from, uh, from people. when you apply for something for NASA or something, of course, they can cross, information in a way. Not sure if they do this.

[00:12:34] They really, you know, NASA sometimes they don't really talk about what specific they doing, but I imagine so they doing this because now we have, uh, they have a project, uh, NASA has open science as well. Uh, releasing data, not only for the hackathon, but now there are many things, open science that NASA is doing. So in my opinion, NASA, and it's very, very, uh, clever, make, uh, as a branding, very popular because they are a government agency. So when they do this in a way, they are giving back to the society. So I think this is a point for them as well. And they can, uh, show exactly things that are they're doing and releasing data for people doing other things, because we know startups that use, you know, NASA data for, for business or for, for other stuff.

[00:13:43] So,

[00:13:43] Markus: Shit. 

[00:13:44] Leka: and I heard it was the first hackathon. So NASA started all this kind of thing. Back in the 2011.

[00:13:53] Markus: Like, give me an example of a typical challenge that NASA would throw out into the world. [00:14:00] Just what, what's your favorite one? 

[00:14:02] Leka: Whoa, there are many, but, um, for example, the deep space one, deep space one, they look like they, they relate, they tell about, uh, Mars stuffs, how can you create, there was one communication between the deep space and Earth. is other challenge, uh, like relate to space. It was, uh, and this is coming this year as well because the sun is having so many explosions and radiation that's going to impact. 

[00:14:44] Markus: hmm. Mm hmm. 

[00:14:45] Leka: impacting us. So they gave you data about this. Uh, what is the solution for that? The other one, one challenge that really, really impressed me was they have this, NASA has the golden disk 

[00:15:00] Markus: Yes. Mm hmm. 

[00:15:02] Leka: in the space, not sure where is it now. And then he said, uh, NASA asked, uh, how can you do that again? Which, Different material. And what are we going to tell that find that

[00:15:15] Markus: Ah, interesting. 

[00:15:16] Leka: human? Yeah, that was very, and, and I have a group that choose that one. And they said to me, listen, we had all this material. Are you going to do this bottle bit like they used to do in the beginning of the, they start to use us. Putting the paper inside the bottle, but we're not sure what to write down as a message. it was about space, but it was a reflection about how it would show us as a human being, you know, as a mankind for, you know, whatever is up there or not. So our reflections, you know. Reflections of thinking, that's, uh, and for the earth science, earth science is fantastic.

[00:15:59] The data that [00:16:00] they had, I could not believe they had.

[00:16:03] It's amazing. 

[00:16:05] Markus: Like, um, going back to the golden disc, some say that we should absolutely, absolutely Not give away our coordinates as humans, where we are in the universe. Um, because if aliens come across those coordinates, they may be a threat to humanity. So, in what, what team are you, are you in the team give away coordinates and say hello to the aliens or stay hidden in the universe? 

[00:16:36] Leka: It's no way we are, already know about us for sure. And there is no more threat. no more threat for us than ourselves, I think, because Uh, when we look back, like when we look around and see so many things, it's, it's unbelievable what we do to ourselves. So, uh,

[00:16:57] no 

[00:16:57] Markus: So we are the biggest threat to ourselves anyways. 

[00:17:00] Leka: we are, Markus.

[00:17:02] Unfortunately, that's how I think. Um, we are not alone in the universe because it is this, this is so huge and we don't know not much at all about it. So I'm sure there are nice people around there over there as well, somehow,

[00:17:22] Markus: Or nice slime molds or whatever, whatever. is out there.

[00:17:27] Leka: so

[00:17:27] Markus: it's perhaps it's not humans or people. Anyways, um, so Lekha, do you think it's also talent scouting, a talent scouting mission for NASA to find new talent for future missions? Transcription by ESO. Translation by 

[00:17:46] Leka: Yes. Uh, think so, especially because of course, always had the biggest technical kind of [00:18:00] people. Getting to NASA, and of course they have this already, but now they need different. When I was, I was in, uh, in Houston last year, it was very interesting because the NASA, when they have the visitor center and they were like, ah, come look for NASA. And in the show they were looking for, they are saying, we need farms. need people that know how to farm. To plant in different, uh, in very bad conditions, like, or even can do, uh, in the show, like tourists, tourist people, and they were saying, come on, check it out, NASA needs you, NASA

[00:18:51] Markus: You're kidding me. 

[00:18:53] Leka: and we want farms.

[00:18:54] And they are like some post, like, uh, with some, uh, Tools like the, the agricultural tools. And they were like, we wanted you and things. And, you know, so NASA had changed and this is those kind of talents and people about humans, the, you know, the culture, the everything they want to do in moon or whatever, they are looking for different kind of talents now, for sure.

[00:19:23] Markus: Fantastic. So there, I

[00:19:25] like that, but this proactive approach to even source talent from your visitors. That's pretty cool. That's, that's pretty cool. Yes. 

[00:19:36] Leka: about that. And I don't think it's only NASA, to be honest to you, because we have the private companies now, and we do have the other space agencies. So, It's in, uh, and, and when the companies, the private companies realize [00:20:00] this hackathon stuff is a good way to get people involved, put them, the branding on it, everybody, every company does hackathons. Everywhere in the world. There was more time, like before it was more often, but it's still, especially for the young, because it's a challenge, it's kind of a game, you know, and I think they get really good database from time to time. Talents, of course.

[00:20:31] Markus: So who's, who's your typical participant in these innovation marathons? Is it, is it students or startups or companies or retired people? Who's your typical participant? 

[00:20:48] Leka: This is kind of thing that made myself, uh, I thought different when I started to do it and I got very good results. And even NASA asked me to tell the other cities about it. I go for students, university students, and now high school students, because I do preparation for them because though not startups, the, the challenges are to solve. For you to win, it doesn't matter if it's going to cost or if you're going to sell. It doesn't matter about marketing or profile. And it's about is that solution really address the challenge? Is that real? Did you use the data? Did you have a science or a fact relate to it? So when I understood this, I said, listen, startups are not for this because they are already the mindset of someone that goes into startups

[00:21:56] Markus: Yes. 

[00:21:58] Leka: how much it's going to cost, [00:22:00] how can I scale, uh, pro, uh, and all this thing.

[00:22:06] And even the mentors, because we have local mentors to help, okay. They have, even NASA has some, uh, specialized the hackathon to You know, you can address on the chat. then I thought, okay, I don't want the business mentors because they always going to kill the creative or the real innovation.

[00:22:30] And

[00:22:31] Markus: Mm. 

[00:22:31] Leka: that's, how you see real innovation. They're going to come up with questions. Oh, but how going to cost? Oh, this is too much money. Oh, this someone already done

[00:22:41] Markus: Exactly. That's killing innovation. 

[00:22:43] Leka: ah, and I went for the teachers.

[00:22:47] Markus: Ah. 

[00:22:48] Leka: I asked teachers, so I partner with some, uh, some university or schools. And I said, I need your teachers. I need your environment teachers. I need your engineering teachers, math, design. I need business. I need as much teachers as I can get. And that. was even recognized by that by because education is part of innovation. And at least in Brazil, you, you didn't see by that time and it's still not seen as it's supposed to be coming together, the academic university, they've done things, private companies, public sector.

[00:23:37] No, you have to have all this mixed it up. So. I pretty much have more teachers than the, the entrepreneurship

[00:23:46] Markus: Hm. 

[00:23:47] Leka: what made a difference. Since my first year doing that, that's what made a difference. And even in Brazil, I got some recognition by starting this. into the [00:24:00] innovation ecosystem. And I think that's what makes the difference.

[00:24:05] And I always, and I tell other local leads because NASA asked me to, you know, questions for this, those ones that I started,

[00:24:15] Markus: Mm. 

[00:24:15] Leka: of advice I always give this one. Students and teachers to come. Of course, can come startups or entrepreneurship or it's okay, but let's mix it up, but not focus only on business.

[00:24:34] Markus: It's interesting, um, um, a couple of episodes ago I had Pablo Tello from CERN, um, on the show. And, uh, he beautifully said that, uh, The term innovation management is an oxymoron, um, because he says the more you manage innovation, the less innovation you get. Um, Lekha, Lekha, you have, as I already pointed at in the beginning, a very a very unusual history.

[00:25:16] NASA's Innovation Marathon, but at the same time, you have no background in the space industry. You have no background with NASA. You have no background whatsoever. You come from a completely different world and that world could not be more different. Um, tell us about that. Leka, Leka, 

[00:25:40] Leka: I think it's all coming to that thing. Do what you like, or at least look for it. Because space was something that I always wanted to do. I've liked it since I was a kid, but it was so far [00:26:00] away, you know, NASA and all these things. And of course I'm from 1974 and then the, the space stopped for, you know, few, quite a decade. It's just gone, you know, you just choose your new goal and you go. So when I had a chance to be in this marathon, when the, the challenge I released 24, I studied them myself because I like it. And I put in myself energy to read. That's one point people are not reading anymore. I do read, I listen to, you know, podcasts or stuff. I don't absorb too much the technical parts of it because it's, it's not, my mind is not technical at all, but. I could learn and it's been like six years. This is my seventh. So six years I've been doing this reading. And plus after that, I keep doing, I read every single day, only the newsletter from the, when I met the, the, this, the, your show, and I take time to learn every single day.

[00:27:27] So I think learning. Space is something, and put my experience from business or other stuff, is that what makes the difference? And that's what I do, uh, especially when I have the chance to talk to the young. I say, listen, now it's different. you have this. You can participate in a marathon of NASA. You can go to NASA and, uh, We have like five Brazilians, 10 Brazilians there, and last year it was [00:28:00] 15. So you can go and then you have to, you know, keep studying your English and young and you can really, really a career on this easier than it was in the past. So that's how I, yeah. And

[00:28:18] Markus: tell me about your past life. Um, your past life, You have an origin or you have a moment in your past life where you became sort of famous in a completely different world And

[00:28:36] that is being a chef. Um, it couldn't be further away from what you're doing right now. Tell us about that time, what you were doing back then. 

[00:28:51] Leka: it was quite hard for. ecosystem to see me, I used to say I was a pilot of Stolven, or put things on fire. And then I went to, check it out about rockets. And the thing is, I, when I became a chef, London, when I had a chance to live there, it was, uh, 2002 and I'd done three years of, uh, college in London, in Westminster Kingsway College.

[00:29:27] And I had worked for a very good company in, um, in London. And I just decided to stop that. And I went and. Got my own restaurant in Brazil, didn't work well because there are different things between being a chef and being an entrepreneurship, having a restaurant, then I was hired for a very famous restaurant in Brazil in Bahia, Salvador. So I was there and I [00:30:00] had, uh, ended my career doing the catering for the World Cup of FIFA in 2040.

[00:30:09] I, 

[00:30:09] Markus: kidding me. 

[00:30:10] Leka: uh, yes, and, uh, we had to serve, we even served that time. We serve the Angela Merkel.

[00:30:21] Markus: Yeah, 

[00:30:21] Leka: there for the,

[00:30:23] Markus: you're kidding me. 

[00:30:25] Leka: when we lost for for seven. Uh, we, I had cook for the whole delegation of France, Holland. It was a tough, it was a very good way to end the career of a chef. also when I was in London, I had a contract with a company that paid my college. Uh, and I used to do a freelance for this Buffet, this catering in London, the highest one, like, and, uh, that they had the license to do the museums, the Royal family.

[00:31:07] So I done so many catering for so many famous people like David Becker and, uh, Tom Cruise, uh, the Royal family. 

[00:31:19] Markus: No. 

[00:31:19] Leka: catering that you do dinners, like those dinners. I done Nobel prize in London. Yes. It was very, it was very, very good. Very good experience.

[00:31:32] Markus: So this is almost, this is almost unbelievable. So you were with a company, um, you have a business degree and then you're starting to venture into catering the chef business and you're working yourself, like, in the shortest possible time, up to the top level of catering, where you're serving like royal families and whatnot.

[00:31:58] So where did you [00:32:00] get your skills from? Were you, do you feel like this, this is a skill you were born with? Or was it, where, where did you pick all that up? 

[00:32:08] Leka: Well for, I thought about that. It's just because I enjoy the time. I really had good time. Was really hard work. I really like it. I like the kitchen. I like the cooking. I like the fire, the pressure, and sometimes people don't believe it. I said, listen, can you not come back to I said, maybe a cooking space.

[00:32:42] I'm going to that. I'm going to study that from year. I decided I'll say I want to cook for astronauts, but that's the thing. You just need to do what you really enjoy. only for money, of course, that is important, of course, we all have to pay bills, try to have a balance. I was, one thing that I really like in England or outside of Brazil, to be honest to you, in countries like United States or even all those here in Europe is if you work hard, if you're honest, if you do properly, responsible. You have the chance to move in now. So I started as a waitress for, because I was in a, in a corporate, but when I went to London, I said, I don't want to do anything about numbers. I just want to pay the bills here in London. And I went waitress then I could enjoy London life, blah, blah, blah. So, uh, and that's as well. [00:34:00] I started as waitress and then when I was waitress, I went, I, I won a challenge from Louis Roderick Champagne. I went to Reims to have dinner with the, in the mason of Louis Roderick and try Crystal 1983. So those kinds of things, put your, in what you're doing. It doesn't matter if you're a waitress or if you are cooking.

[00:34:25] I started as a sandwich maker, having just cuts, tomatoes and washing lettuce, that's it. But I put in myself, um, I'm going to do the best, what I can, what I'm doing. So I think that's the difference. Uh, that's makes you growing up in a career. And achieve more and more. that's what I do. It doesn't matter if I have to start it from the ground zero.

[00:34:54] If I have to start to learn what is rocket or is that, let's do our best.

[00:35:01] Markus: Tell me, tell me like, uh, how, how did that How did that move from being a waitress to becoming a world class chef? How did that go? How did that transition work? 

[00:35:16] Leka: Wow. Especially in London, Okay, as a waitress, it was fun. Of course, it was in the city of London. I just worked in Madrid till Friday. I was lucky on that. Very good tips. it was just the wine bars, and this one was just close to the stock exchange. then, when I become a chef, first, I had to study. Because the company put me into this college, Westminster Kingsway College. And had to go to the kitchen, prepare things. And then I leave to my class going into [00:36:00] night. And I was doing that very well. And when I move it, like from even sandwich maker, I think it's still per hour, the, the, the salary. And then next step, I was like per year, watch. Which is big difference and then being a chef and because I went to all the steps, it's pretty much made me even different to the bank, to the English people, you know, kind of not only moving on the amount I was earning, but as well, like getting more respect from the public, from the person, from the community. Community was very, very, it was really, really nice. And to be honest with you, I just, I got an invitation from my teacher by that time, cause he used to work for the Royal family. He said, you have the, you should try because you only work for the Royal family. In the kitchen or the other things, as you had invitation and I got this invitation, but I said, no, I don't want to do that.

[00:37:12] I want to go back to Brazil and have my own restaurant.

[00:37:15] Markus: This is, this is mind blowing. 

[00:37:17] Leka: that. Sometimes, sometimes I regret that, but it was fun. And, uh, so I had a chance to, I travel a little bit in Europe to try some food as well, because I love, I still love there. Trying food and, and, see the efforts people are doing to get fresh food and transforming to even in classic dishes 

[00:37:40] Markus: Mm hmm. 

[00:37:41] Leka: different dish, sometimes

[00:37:45] Markus: Do you still get to, um, go back to those days and cook fancy dinners for whenever you feel like doing so? 

[00:37:57] Leka: for family and friends, but [00:38:00] not, uh, I done, there is a, there is one thing that I done back in Brazil and, uh, I may do that. I hope so in Portugal for the Web Summit in Lisbon. I want to do that in Vienna next year if I had a chance, because there's a tradition, a dish called feijoada in Brazil and mine is really good and blah, blah, blah.

[00:38:27] So I done, I done that in Rio just before this. Opening of the Web Summit in Rio, I'm down in a restaurant, restaurant, in a slum, in Rocinha, 

[00:38:44] Markus: hmm. 

[00:38:44] Leka: which is the biggest slum in Rio, I've never been there before, I mean, I've been doing a few things for projects there, I've done this Feijoada, call it Feijoada da Leca, Lekas Feijoada, which is the name of the plate, and we done like this, yes, we done as a meetup of innovation, because it's traditional, uh, plate to eat for lunch, it's the black beans with Pork and meat and, uh, we invite social projects from the slum, from the Rocinha to pitch, minutes pitch. I invite people the ecosystem from 

[00:39:30] Markus: Mm hmm. Mm hmm. 

[00:39:31] Leka: and we got like 50 very quite important people. And they were up in the slum watching those seven pitches. Then they were like, meet up and talk because. all those projects couldn't go down to the Web Summit. It's expensive. So we done that and was amazing.

[00:39:57] And one of the project that was [00:40:00] pitching, uh, got an invitation from one, uh, one entrepreneur that was there and was able to make to the Web Summit and, you know, spoke with investors and things. So it was really cool. It was really nice. And, uh, I'm playing and making. And somehow me do that in Portugal, hopefully. that's the thing. It's not a very That's the thing I want to look for now to do it. This kind of using my skills of cooking, because it's about in a table in a kitchen that people, since the beginning of our time, people really talk and get around. So I'm going to, this feijoada was a of thing that I wanted to do.

[00:40:50] And it was organic doing, like calling a friend in Rio said, I'm there. Let's do it. And maybe I will do that as well, more often. And, uh, in place like that, they can even try a Brazilian dish and promote this meetup between projects that has more social impact. Background. I

[00:41:17] Markus: I'd like to go back to what you mentioned a couple of minutes ago, uh, to perhaps do some cooking, um, or invent some dishes for space. Um, I think this is an under researched topic. an underserved discipline, um, food in space. I could imagine, I don't know, have you ever tried space food? I haven't, but it seems food could use a little bit of an improvement. Is, would this be a nice challenge for you? 

[00:41:49] Leka: well, uh, I think this is, will be my next challenge. Uh, first there was, there is, uh, one building in, uh, in [00:42:00] Houston,

[00:42:01] Markus: Mm hmm. 

[00:42:01] Leka: which they make it very kind of secret. That is about the food. 

[00:42:06] Markus: Ah, 

[00:42:07] Leka: a building about food. There is a challenge that NASA is starting about food for, or they call like breakfast for astronauts. And

[00:42:16] Markus: hmm. 

[00:42:17] Leka: spoke with a few. Uh, two, I had a chance to speak with three. One was not in, uh, uh, and yeah, and they said, uh, that's the biggest problem about being in space, about

[00:42:33] Markus: Is it? 

[00:42:34] Leka: that food. Yes. the thing is, one thing I think is about not only the taste or the flavor, because maybe, maybe 3d printing can solve 

[00:42:46] Markus: solve that problem. 

[00:42:48] Leka: Maybe. I try it, it's still far away, I think it's the texture, the, you know, like, so it's somehow, and I think. It's already on the topic of NASA, but it's going to come up very, very huge after, you know, all those problems are solving they're going to put energy on that. For now, as what I found out, well, it's kind of secret far, but I want to do that.

[00:43:25] Imagine it would be so good. Oh my gosh. Eating my own food in space. Let's do it, Markus. Let's go.

[00:43:32] Markus: That pretty, I'm, I'm down to it. Um, I do the dishes. Okay. You cook. I do the dishes. 

[00:43:39] Leka: Okay. done.

[00:43:41] Markus: I need to start like, I need to work my way up. So I'll, I'll start, I'll start, um, cutting tomatoes and, and sandwiches and you do the fancy. 

[00:43:52] Leka: imagine doing that in Gravity Zero, oh, shh, poof,

[00:43:58] Markus: Fantastic. Um, [00:44:00] Lekha, what, tell me about, let's go back into that mindset when you decided to move on to, to move on to a different career. What happened? Did you get bored with all that success? 

[00:44:20] Leka: Uh, first. It's a profession that you hold too many pressure

[00:44:29] because time and, uh, second, it's, it's very physical. It's

[00:44:37] makes you really, really tired and I just decided, uh, I done in, uh, enough. I I had done some, uh, I went to the opposite side. I done then after the fancy gourmet, high profile food, done street food. Uh, I done catering a carnival of Salvador, few, few really street food. And, and that was even more tired and less money. And then there was some point I said, okay, enough of this, let me see what's going on in the world. And that's how I stopped it for a while. And that's how I, and, and I started to see words, startup, uh, hackathon, uh, and I said, well, what is this? And then I stopped it. Uh, my brother in law, He's a tech dev and computer staff. He gave me some advice, some guidelines, and I started to study. I was, uh, I done, I was a director of startup accelerator in 2018 as well. I applied. From, [00:46:00] uh, Adele Ressi. He was a partner of Elon Musk on PayPal and, uh, Institute is the oldest, uh, startup accelerator from the Silicon Valley and from the

[00:46:18] world, even before tech stars and everything. So I had an interview with, with Adele Ressi and I was like, Well, and so I done that. I done a training with them. We found an institute from Silicon Valley three months. And we host with more, uh, other directors. We hosting a cohort in Salvador, Bahia, and we made it like nine startups. Not often. Just one is doing good so far, but it's been difficult for startups.

[00:46:59] Oh, my 

[00:46:59] Markus: Leiko, um, talking about oneself is always difficult, but what is your secret sauce? Um, and I'm, I'm, let's try to be as, as realistic and as honest as you can be. What is your secret sauce behind all of this?

[00:47:19] Leka: secret sauce.

[00:47:24] Markus: I mean, like, this is all very unlikely what you do. Um, you, or I wouldn't say unlikely, maybe or perhaps it's more unusual, unusual to transition. It's like, like in winter, uh, in, in skiing, there is a discipline called slalom and where you like ski very quickly between different gates. So, I mean, like, I'd be really, really interested in finding out your secret sauce behind that slalom skill [00:48:00] that you're pulling off on a regular basis.

[00:48:02] And who knows where that Camino that you were on a couple of weeks or days ago, um, will lead you, um, as a next, as a next project. So what is the secret sauce of Lake Hattori? 

[00:48:18] Leka: Well, Marco, that's a challenge question, but what I can think now is I try to be more honest to myself as I can. And I do understand that nothing is forever, in some point, in somehow. that will transform our ending. And as I try to do my best, always happy what the achievements or what I've done. And if sometime one thing that I'm not afraid is about challenge, it's about change. Right. If you say to me now, listen, is an opportunity. Uh, the moon and this and that and that. I make thinking about it because it's something that I want is to go to the moon, is to go to space. And so I put it on the plate. So what, why not? Why yes? And I I try to balance these, I try to be honest to myself, always.

[00:49:42] All these transitions I made, it not pretty much because I was unhappy, but it was because I wanted to try the next step. I wanted to try what something caught my attention. It's somehow, I [00:50:00] think is it, I'm not sure if I answered your question, but

[00:50:03] Markus: Absolutely. But, but 

[00:50:05] Leka: feel.

[00:50:06] Markus: What does being honest to oneself mean? What do you mean? 

[00:50:11] Leka: Well, it means like, I try not to do things only because of the money, not because, okay, everybody wants to be rich, I think, but it's not all about this. Of course, I come from a stable family. I had a good education, but from, um, 17 years old, I have to take care of myself. I balanced this. Okay. I could, uh, still being a chef. In Lono, earned so much in pounds. Watch is a very strong and had so many, uh, investments by that time back in Brazil because the exchange rate was good, but is that the only thing I want in this kind of position to have some more money to invest? Or no, it's time for me to have my own restaurant and get myself into that risk.

[00:51:21] And on the yes, okay, go for it was more one. So I was more, uh, okay, this is what I want. So I'm going to do that because the money a way can come really down, but there is always a way to come back to a point that you need. And there is no point only to invest and invest and invest. You have to have a good life.

[00:51:58] You have to have, you know, thinking [00:52:00] about the future, but it's not only about And I'm not kind of person that, ah, I want to buy a helicopter. I want to buy this. I want to buy what we need. We need to buy. Okay. I need money now. I want to go to space. So let's work for this. But there are, there are only other ways to, for it.

[00:52:18] So anyway, I think that's it, Mark. That's what What drove me in my life was not only to be about money, try to get the balance of, of that.

[00:52:37] Markus: What do you make of what's going on in space these days? What does that mean to you as a human being? The space industry, space exploration, it's definitely, uh, you mentioned in the 70s there was a big, this was a big thing. Time of inspiration because of inspiring folks. And then there was a little bit of a downturn, but now we have a newly, uh, ignited interest in all things space.

[00:53:13] Maybe perhaps also because it's a huge industry that is growing at a rapid pace. But you as a human being, What do you make of all of this? What does that mean? Haha, tellin 

[00:53:28] Leka: I really hope we can, uh, get some answers, some information, what to do about the climate change of our own planet, because the way I've. I've been seeing things, think in Mars or in other exoplanets or whatever, we're going to have some more data that can help us more quickly here to sort it out, our [00:54:00] problems. The second is our life is pretty much in there. If they turn it off the satellites, we have cows here in Earth, but people, the GPS communication, People, we don't know about this. So first we need to understand about this. I think really intensify the between, uh, policy or frontiers out there.

[00:54:33] I think it's going to come up with big issues in a few years coming. And when I look at specific to Brazil and I see the people, the Privilege of launching rockets, spending less fuel so far, is somehow Brazil could get there. This more a economic source of income in coming years, but they are not, you know, people don't talk about this, they some or, but not the way schools and kind of this. as a human being, I think we are completely, our life here is already depend on what's going on. On the satellite, what's going on, on us. I just saw that image of NASA, how many debris and satellites are around

[00:55:33] Markus: crazy. 

[00:55:34] Leka: That, uh, uh, I, sometimes I think, Markus, is that Yeah, I look up and say, listen, it's nothing going to fell in our heads because so many, I don't know, things can change, whatever. So I think this kind of knowledge, we need to know, we need to accept [00:56:00] that. Our lives depends what is up there and 

[00:56:07] Markus: Mm 

[00:56:07] Leka: what's going from here to, but we need to have conscious that we use more space than what we thought. And this involves, like, so many things. Mindsets changing all what we do here in this planet.

[00:56:35] Markus: hmm. When you said that from exoplanets or Venus or different celestial bodies, we could learn about climate change and what to do against it. Don't you think that we have all the cards on the table already? We do not need more research, maybe, because we have it all on the table. It's, it's, it's bright as day, it's clear as glass.

[00:57:00] We are living a non sustainable life. life on this planet.

[00:57:06] And we exactly know what to do against it, but we just do not do it. So, the question is, do we really need more research or do we need a shift of mindset? And for whatever reason, We have no, we do not know how to achieve that shift of mindset because we're too complacent, too lazy, or too whatever.

[00:57:32] Perhaps this is the main problem. 

[00:57:35] Leka: I think now, yes, there are so many resources, but we are, I don't see us. That's why I think we need to talk this about this in schools. I don't see people, the decisions makers, even not only the politics, but also the entrepreneurs, the CEOs, the [00:58:00] directors, don't know, they don't have we have, or this public that is listening to this. have about what space technology, what space research are doing for us in Earth. They don't. You talk to a CEO and, um, some of them in politics. it doesn't matter if it's in Brazil or USA, they are not into this yet. So what I think is happening is the consequences we are facing from climate change, the rain, the drought, the fires are waking up them. And so as they have to find the solutions and they then ask people, they specialize, so they start to see their resource and now they may do something. they have to rebuild the city or they have to, uh, the fire and, and all kind of things. That's how it's been provoked then to look after the resource.

[00:59:11] We have decisions makes or the companies or they don't use the resource yet as they supposed choose because. don't see, I don't know, they don't see the importance that, but when they are provoked by some of or some, uh, things, saw the other day about the hurricane, how fast it was in the United States. So I see this kind of thing is getting worse and worse. Every year, that's how they're going to see they have data resource, uh, and see what they [01:00:00] can do from that data, from that resource here on earth. the mindset is, I don't know how long it's going to take to change because it seems like we, we are not I don't see moving too much as we are. Need to, so far,

[01:00:28] Markus: Yeah, um, I think we will not solve that issue, but I'm glad that we're on the same page, that we We feel that most of the solutions are readily waiting for us to be picked up, but for whatever reason, our conditio humana, as they say, our being human beings, stands in the way for whatever reason. So maybe this is the filter that we need to pass through in order, if we want to make it into the future, perhaps it's a filter, um, for Any civilization, um, who knows?

[01:01:11] Who knows? 

[01:01:13] Leka: as you said, we already, I think we already know, I think there's so many data on this space

[01:01:21] Markus: Yeah. 

[01:01:22] Leka: and all these things. I heard, uh, I don't remember his name in the summit. from the collective of NASA that NASA has changed the, his, the position as an agency. Uh, the words that are kept in my mind is NASA is not going to warn only anymore.

[01:01:47] We will try to have the solutions. We will try because it's We need to address that

[01:01:55] Markus: Yes. And we, 

[01:01:57] Leka: So

[01:01:58] Markus: we, yeah, [01:02:00]

[01:02:01] Leka: well,

[01:02:01] Markus: we have, 

[01:02:02] Leka: going on.

[01:02:03] Markus: yeah, we have become blind and deaf to warnings because we're overexposed. We've been overexposed for too, too long. So coming up with the solutions, um, being the solution is definitely, uh, the way to go. Definitely the way to go. That's very inspiring. And anyone can be that solution.

[01:02:24] Anyone. 

[01:02:25] Leka: Exactly, exactly.

[01:02:26] Markus: Wonderful. Leika, um, on a completely different note, um, I guess your answer will now be yes. Would you want to go into spaces if the call came?

[01:02:41] Leka: Yes.

[01:02:42] Markus: Haha, how far? How far? Interstellar, um, interplanetary?

[01:02:48] Leka: Interstellar, uh, interplanetary, whatever chance I have in this life. Even, uh, to be honest to you, Markus, people say, Whoa, even if you have, uh, you know, maybe they say, We will probably not come back. Well, I will have the chance. I mean, because, uh, worth it, I think. And yes, I will go to space. I already changed my mindset.

[01:03:17] I will go to space. I'm just waiting for the day.

[01:03:22] The call.

[01:03:26] Markus: You know that traveling in space is a boring thing, especially after a couple of days or weeks, it will inevitably be boring. Um, so what's the one, and this is the question I keep asking to each of my guests, what's the one piece of music you would want to bring on that playlist, on your favorite playlist to cheer you up? 

[01:03:53] Leka: Uh, to be honest to you, some Brazilian music for 

[01:03:57] Markus: Hmm. 

[01:03:59] Leka: [01:04:00] And yeah, and some YouTube music. I'm fan of YouTube.

[01:04:08] Markus: Yeah, absolutely. We, we don't have you. So what kind, what, what tune you need to, um, you, you need to choose one tune. Yeah. 

[01:04:17] Leka: want 

[01:04:21] Markus: And imagine it's the only tune you will be listening to on that playlist while on the spacecraft. So choose wisely. 

[01:04:33] Leka: AI one yes be Brazilian one. I want to call it, uh, very thank you. It's, uh, from Bahia. Yes, that's the one I would choose to listen in the space for. How long in those?

[01:04:52] Markus: So do, do, do I, 

[01:04:52] Leka: one. Muito obrigado, 

[01:04:54] Markus: do I find it on? Do I find it on Spotify? 

[01:04:58] Leka: Yeah, you, probably. I can send you, uh,

[01:05:01] Markus: Yeah, please do so. And, um, another question, uh, Leka, this is the Space Cafe Podcast, the auditory coffee place. And as a chef, you know, an espresso, you would serve to energize or to, to close out. a fine meal or energize your body when you're tired, um, now and then. So I challenge you to share an espresso for the mind with me now, to share something that leaves our audiences and leaves me inspired and invigorated from that conversation.

[01:05:46] And please do pick whatever kind of topic you want to pick. 

[01:05:55] Leka: I think for aspiring having a car like Espresso [01:06:00] would go for that. What are you gonna do? you doing? What do you enjoy in life, or are you putting things away and waiting for the right moment? Life is now. We have to do

[01:06:16] Markus: Wow. 

[01:06:17] Leka: in space you can travel back. So we are not in space. So let's See what are you doing now, if it's pleasure for us, if we are happy, real, real happy. And because when we are happy, we make, uh, our partners, children or whatever, happier as well. So it's for, it's up to us to make ourselves happy and then we make everyone else happy as well. So are we doing this? Are we in the present moment or are we traveling in the space back and forward? No, we are not in space, we are here, planet Earth, living this moment. I think it would

[01:07:02] go for that. Thank you for, uh, I'm very, very happy I had the chance to meet you. I heard about 

[01:07:35] Markus: and there you have it, folks. An incredible journey through the life and mind of Lekha Hattori. From world class chef cooking for royalty and celebrities, to leading NASA's biggest innovation challenge. Lekha's story is truly inspiring. Her message of living in the present, pursuing your passions, and being open to change [01:08:00] Resonates deeply.

[01:08:02] As we conclude this episode of the Space Cafe Podcast, let's take Licka's Espresso for the Mind with us. Are we truly living in the present moment? Are we doing what makes us happy right now? Remember, life is now. We can travel back in time like we're in space.

[01:08:22] Yet. Thank you, Leica, for sharing your remarkable journey and insights with us. And thank you, dear listeners, for joining us on this cosmic adventure. Until next time, keep looking up, keep innovating, and most importantly, keep pursuing your dreams, whether they lead you to a kitchen or to the stars. This is Markus, signing off from the Space Cafe Podcast.

[01:08:49] Take care. Bye bye.