The first Michelin Portugal Gala, 100% Portuguese, was characterized by the exceeding of expectations of the country’s first three-star hotel. Chef José Avillez, at the helm of Belcanto (two stars) and Encanto (one star), spoke emphatically in an exclusive conversation with Viagem Gastronomica. “For me, Belcanto already has three stars, Ocean is three stars… In fact, we still have time to enter the guide. I’m only 44 years old,” he declared during the party held at the Nau Palace Salgados, in Albufeira, last Tuesday (27).
The next day, however, with minds cooled, there was pride in what the exclusive award represented, which shook the Algarve and made names like chef Vitor Matos shine: he obtained the second star with his Antiqvvm, by Porto, star at 2Monkeys, a project he carries out in collaboration with Francisco Quintas in Lisbon and which saw his student, Rita Magro, win the award for best new chef and enter the list of restaurants recommended by Blind, in Porto.
Rita was just one of the women who stood out at the Gala, held last Tuesday in the Algarve, southern Portugal. Although expectations about a chef’s first star – Marlene Vieira, of Marlene in Lisbon, she was a strong candidate – were not confirmed, seeing some female representatives on stage was a relief.
Here, it is worth making a clarification: in the world of haute cuisine, where the “Michelian” stars gravitate, there are few women. The explanation seems simple: the need for a Herculean dedication to cooking, not always easy to reconcile in the different social roles that women hold, including caring for the family and, for many, motherhood.
Listen to the female names called on the gala stage such as Rita Magro (Blind, Porto), Noélia Jerónimo (Noélia), Aurora Goy (Apego, Porto), Ana Moura (Lamelas, Porto Covo) and the Brazilian Lara Prado (SEM, Lisbon) in the list of recommended restaurants, and Mónica Gomes (Olaias, Coimbra) and Annakaren Fuentes (O Pastus, Oeiras), as new entries in the Bib Gourmand category, demonstrate how much women have done for Portuguese gastronomy.
It is no surprise that chef Noélia Jerónimo, highly regarded by her colleagues for her talent and friendliness, was applauded when her name was announced when her Noélia was announced.
“The greatest chefs in the world are women. It is mothers who feed their children, men. I am very happy to be included in the guide because I am a woman who has fought for many years to stand tall and strengthen women so that they remain steadfast in gastronomy”, stated the chef, who underlines that attention to family and children often ends up distracting women from the world of avant-garde gastronomy.
For Rita, so to speak, two-time champion of the night, the recognition is essential to strengthen the women’s movement in professional kitchens. “I hope it serves as a stimulus to chefs to continue with determination and courage to demonstrate who we are, without fear of putting our ideas into practice,” she says.
Passionate about cooking and with her talent highly appreciated by her colleague Vitor Matos, she admits that she had no idea what awaited her. “It’s what I’ve always liked to do. I went without thinking too much and in the end it went well and I’m very happy to do what I do and even happier to have this recognition”, she guarantees.
More than a female chef, Lara Prado is Brazilian and alongside her runs a restaurant – SEM – which has a serious commitment to sustainability, which is not always easy to achieve. “For me, as a Brazilian woman, this recognition is extremely important, even if we didn’t start the project focusing on awards. It is the reflection of the work and efforts, the sweat and blood of those who have an independent restaurant, with a positive impact in socio-environmental terms, without waste, with work in close contact with the producers”, she says.
For the chef, the fight for diversity in gastronomy has just begun, for a long time a “white and male” universe. “It’s a fight for diversity. There are incredible women who are leaders in this industry and do phenomenal work. That’s starting to be recognized, even though it’s still disproportionate.”
The SEM chef also highlighted colleagues who stood out at the Gala and other names who, according to her, will soon be recognized. “In this edition (of Michelin), we saw women like Rita, Noélia, who are an institution, being recognized. Marlene Vieira, of Marlene, and Louise, of Boubou’s, are also fighting and will remain steadfast. I hope that this recognition comes, regardless of gender. These chefs do a great job.”
At the Gala, the organization also highlighted the female side by choosing the presenter Catarina Furtado, as host of the ceremony, the singer Cuca Rosetta, as musical attraction, and the three Michelin star chef Dominique Crenn, as guest to cheer up the party. The Frenchwoman was the first female chef to win the top Michelin award in the United States, with her Atelier di lei, in San Francisco, California.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
