Starting today, Thursday, October 30th, Week Food Lab’s themed dinners begin at the Anfiteatro restaurant in São Miguel. Led by guest chefs Alexandre Silva, Octávio Freitas, and Ricardo Costa from Portugal, and Elena Cerezo from Spain, Daniel Dal-Bem from Germany, and Matteo Vergine from Italy, this is an opportunity for trainees to put into practice what they have learned in advanced training courses, while involving the local population in the project, allowing them to get to know the work of renowned chefs, who combine their knowledge and know-how with the authenticity of Azorean products.

The fourth day of the 2nd edition of Week Food Lab marks the start of the themed dinners, scheduled for October 30 and 31 and November 1, at the Anfiteatro restaurant. These dinners are another educational moment that brings together pairs of renowned chefs to create surprising menus, highlighting local and seasonal products, with the collaboration of students from the EFTA cooking course.

The first dinner today brings together Daniel Dal-Ben, from 1876 Daniel Dal-Ben in Düsseldorf (1*MICHELIN), and Ricardo Costa, head of The Yeatman restaurant in Porto (2*MICHELIN), with Pedro Escoto, Sommelier at Feitoria restaurant, on wines. The following day, Elena Cerezo, from the Angle restaurant in Barcelona (1*MICHELIN), and Alexandre Silva, from LOCO (1*MICHELIN) and FOGO in Lisbon, will set the menu, with wine pairing by Gonçalo Patraquim, Head Sommelier and Food & Drinks Operations Manager at the DoubleTree by Hilton Lagoa Hotel. Finally, on Saturday, November 1, chefs Matteo Vergine, chef at Grow restaurant in Milan (1*MICHELIN and 1*MICHELIN Green), and Octávio Freitas, from Desarma (1*MICHELIN) in Funchal, with the support of João Barbosa, Head Sommelier at Desarma* restaurant, will be in charge of the wines.

Each dinner, consisting of six courses with wine pairings, costs €80 per person.

Week Food Lab training program:

Between October 27 and 29, three separate sessions will explore different approaches to sustainable gastronomy. On the 27th, chefs Ricardo Costa and Daniel Dal-Ben will discuss planning seasonal, sustainable menus, with a focus on conservation and promoting local products. On the 28th, Alexandre Silva and Elena Cerezo will challenge participants to reinterpret regional ingredients using modern techniques. The cycle ends on October 29 with Octávio Freitas and Matteo Vergine, who will discuss gastronomic innovation and environmental responsibility, promoting creative and conscious cuisine.

Complementing the cooking training, Week Food Lab also offers advanced training in Dining Room Service and Wines and Bar, featuring three leading sommeliers on the national scene. Gonçalo Patraquim, Head Sommelier and Food & Drinks Operations Manager at the DoubleTree by Hilton Lagoa Hotel, Pedro Escoto, Sommelier at the Feitoria* restaurant, and João Barbosa, Head Sommelier at the Desarma* restaurant, share their vision of hospitality, pairing, and dining room experience, contributing to raising the quality of service in a context of gastronomic excellence.

Initiatives for the public:

In addition to these training courses, WEEK FOOD LAB also offers basic training for cooks and enthusiasts who want to take their first steps in gastronomy, as it did last year. Topics such as Vegetarianism and Veganism, Well-being Cuisine, Valuing Local Raw Materials, Bar and Mixology, Staging, Table Layout, Upselling, Restaurant Space Decoration, Communication and Posture, and Traditional Cuisine will be addressed in dynamic, interactive sessions that promote applied learning tailored to the current challenges of the sector.

In Correio dos Açores – Nalatima Viveiros, director.