Chef José Avillez restaurants Belcanto, Beco, Bairro do Avillez, Mini Bar,
Cantinho do Avillez, Café Lisboa, and Pizzaria in Lisboa, Cantinho do Avillez in Oporto
My goal is to offer people a pleasurable experience
interview and photos
Roberto Savio
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Cascais.
Cascais is 30 km west of Lisbon
and it’s a really beautiful place. It
still evokes its past as a fishing
village, but it is now a modern
town and a stylish summer resort.
What and who were the catalysts
that stimulated your interest in
becoming a Chef?
As I look back, I see I’ve had a
passion for food ever since I was
a child. In fact, it was actually
a passion for eating. I started
cooking at home when I was 7.
I used to bake with my sister
and we sold our cakes to family,
friends and neighbours.
I had two amazing mentors
that truly inspired me (and
continue to do so today): Maria
de Lourdes Modesto, the most
important Portuguese author on
traditional Portuguese cuisine,
and José Bento dos Santos, the
most important Portuguese
gastronome. They were very
generous in the way they shared
their knowledge with me and
were always very supportive. I’m
very grateful to both of them.
LT (low temperature) yolk
with sunroot purée, “farinheira” of roe, eel and “cabidela” sauce (2017)
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