About Us

For our Founder, Gabriela Santos, COPA BISTRO is not only a passion project, but also COPA BISTRO is life itself. As humans we are blessed with one chalice, one body, one container, for our life’s journey on this rock as it takes trips around the sun. Now, more than ever, we know the direct correlation between the quality of food we eat, and longevity and quality of life. There are also significant linkages between quality nutrition and positive mental health.

For Ms. Santos and her brother Leonardo, two years, her senior (although if you knew him, you would think he and Gabriela were twins), growing up in a military family in Rio de Janeiro, they learned the impact of nutrition on life and performance at early ages. Gabriela, initially as a dancer, then a competitive CrossFit participant, and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu; and Leonardo, a competitive surfer, soccer player, third degree black belt, and member of the Brazilian national jiu-jitsu team, they learned that they could not perform at their peak without the best nutrition.

Inseparable through childhood, during college years, and as young adults, both siblings completed engineering degrees. Gabriela also completed an MBA while working for a major construction firm. Gabriela worked on public works, transportation infrastructure, schools, public housing in the favelo, and also the Olympic village and facilities for the Rio Olympics. She holds her PE Certificate (professional engineer) in structural engineering and is the engineer of record for several of the buildings in Rio’s Olympic Village.

While Gabriela’s love and affinity for Engineering and business thrived, Leonardo’s real passion was the culinary arts. He went with his heart and soul, leaving engineering to pursue his dream, and became a Chef and restaurant owner. Together, with Leo providing the artistic menu creation, and culinary direction, Gabriela financed and establishing the business structure. Leonardo’s restaurant in Rio was launched and quickly became successful and popular.

COPA BISTRO Co-Founder and Gabriela’s current business partner, Scott Banes, has over 35 years of entrepreneurial and business scaling experience in many sectors. Originaly a Mechanical Engineer, and eventual Biomedical Engineer, He shares Gabriela’s passion for wellness and has founded several companies and products focused on measuring and improving human performance, as well as considerable experience with regulatory bodies like the FDA (US Federal Food and Drug Administration). Additionally, as a cancer survivor, he understands firsthand the role nutrition plays in human performance, healing, and quality of life. Scott has been a business mentor to Gabriela and in reciprocity, she has been his nutritionist and wellness coach.

Fast forwarding: Gabriela immigrated to the US to pursue her career and also launched a successful Fitness and Wellness consulting practice, while Leonardo pursued happiness with his fiancé in Rio. Then tragedy struck, and Leo is now only with us spiritually. It is in celebration and tribute to his life of happiness and dedication to healthy lifestyle that we now launch COPA BISTRO in honor of Leonardo. We will empower and realize our lessons learned from Leonardo’s life of pure happiness and launch COPA BISTRO to provide healthy cuisine with a Brazilian flavor to celebrate and nurture life. We will the highest quality and healthiest food possible.

Literally, food is life, and this is our mission at COPA BISTRO; to improve lives through food and nutrition.

"If it is not Healthy, then it is not Food!" (Chef J, 2025)