I have had the opportunity to work in and learn about different countries and their respective cuisines. But I have no doubt about what has built my vision of national identity for the various Avillez restaurants in the city. Our soul, our ingredients, our people. A unique cuisine, which is not transportable. The Portuguese cuisine is Portugal. I am sure the food is a determining factor in choosing a tourist destination; and I also believe that it is what lingers most in the memory, for good and for bad, of anyone visiting a city or a country for the first time.
So for my cooking I draw inspiration from art, tradition, people, deconstruction, senses, travel and even packaging. In fact, often I describe my cooking as "inspired cuisine" and I always try to represent Portuguese cooking with the affection I feel that everyone has for it. Its strong personality allows the mixture of elements of traditional cooking with innovative cuisine, giving rise to great food. I seek perfection for one day to achieve excellence. And it is Lisbon that impassions and inspires me.
