Jose Avillez: A Culinary Journey of Modern Portuguese Cuisine
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The most celebrated chef in Portugal — Jose Avillez, the mastermind behind Lisbon’s first two-Michelin-star restaurant, goes on a gastronomic tour.Avillez is almost omnipresent in Portugal, helming six restaurants as well as hosting a radio show and a popular TV series.From sardines to custard tarts, Avillez samples Portugal’s best culinary icons.Avillez is determined to present a modern haute cuisine version of Portuguese food to the world.“Whether it draws on memory or landscape, every dish should tell a story,” Avillez explains. His tasting menus are fittingly called “Lisbon Menu” and “The Discoveries.”A disciple of El Bulli’s Ferran Adria, Jose Avillez has established a lab for new creations and a farm of his own on the outskirts of Cascais.Avillez began his career in cooking 16 years ago when there was little status and no celebrity in the industry. “No one in my family wanted me to become a chef,” he says.Belcanto is Avillez’s most successful establishment so far. It earned a second Michelin star in 2014.He promises “there’s Portuguese DNA in every bite, a Portuguese soul in every plate.”Avillez: “To think that people come here for a honeymoon or cross 10,000 miles for my food while I am promoting my city and country — that’s really beautiful.”
