Daniel Lino Pereira

My name is Daniel Lino Pereira, I was born in a small town in Brazil, called sardoa MG. I grow up in a small farm right outside of our town. I am the oldest of four kids and by the time I was 6 years old I had to learn to be disciplined, diligent, and obedient, never talk back kind of a kid. My father was always extremely strict and every morning 6am sharp, I would hear him calling my name; telling me to wake up to start the fire so everyone else could also wake up. During those days we only had wood burn stove so the fire in the morning was a necessary thing for the household duties. I would then rush out of my bed to do what I was told to do; I would not want to see my father upset for reason.

After breakfast I would have to go into the fields and make sure to bring all the cows in so my dad could milk them. After making sure everything was done for my dad I would than need to walk about 4 miles each way to go to school. This routine lasted for another 10 years after. When I turned 16, I got a job to deliver the mail in my hometown; and so I got to walk miles and miles every day. Although I didn’t really like the job I did it anyway, and that was better than staying at the farm.

After about a year delivering the mail, the mayor of our town offered me a job to be his first hand man. I got to work with him for about a year and a half. Everything was going well in my world but something else was missing; so I then decided that I wanted to follow my dreams and go to United States of America. There was a pressure from my father that I would absolutely have to marry a woman! So I felt that my only way to scape would be to go very far away. When I was 18 years old I left everything behind so I could pursue my dreams. There were so many mixed feelings going through my mind, but the worse one was to be leaving my mother and my siblings behind. I felt like we were being forced to separate from each other. Although it was necessary and I had to go through with it so I could be able to help her in the near future.

It was on May 25th 2001 and I was ready to flight away, and I had no idea when I would see my family again. After many hours later, I would then land in New York City, although my final destination would be Boston. I lived in Boston for about a Year, I worked with a cousin of mine at his restaurant. With him I learned a different kind of passion for cooking; the kind of passion that I could spend all day in the kitchen and never be tired of it.

Unfortionetley I did not adopt in the environment I was living in so I quickly had to change things up. I decided to move to Connecticut, because I had wonderful connections there and somehow it felt the right move for me. After living in US now for over a year I started to really like my life, so going back home was not happening.

It is now spring and through a wonderful friend I was able to find the job that would keep me safe and give me the tools to succeed. At Nature’s Temptations in Ridgefield CT, I found my first, second and maybe my third home. The owner Jeff Konchalsky, His mother Camille Konchaslky and my wonderful frind Nina Filha took me under their wings and with them I learned everything about the retail world. (My dream is to write a book some day and share all the amazing experiences I had at Natures Temptations). I will forever treasure those days that shaped me to become who I am today.

After working at Nature’s for about fifteen years, I decided to start my own business with my then partner and husband Jeffery Albanesi. The Market at Union Hall in north Salem is a wonderful venture that started out of a dream that I always had inside of my heart. The idea of combining good food with excellent service is everything I have always dreamed of. The Market at Union Hall brings me so much joy and every morning when I walk in my heart is filled with so much gratitude and love.

It has been almost 10 years of being open in North Salem and I could not be happier. I have built a strong and very successful business. Many of our customers are like family members and the community truly embraced us. Today I am truly grateful and proud; I am looking forward to many more years of success, progress and love.