Algarve Chefs' Week this year is scheduled to run between the 6th and the 15th of May. The initiative has been organised by the region’s 5 star hotels with each of their tops chefs challenged to devise an original food concept.
Throughout April, food enthusiasts will have the opportunity to chat with the chefs and join workshops and attend the launch in Loulé’s market where six ‘Ceviche’ creations and a cataplana dish will be presented.
The theme is ‘Ceviche’, a dish consisting of fish marinated in orange or lemon juice. Local citrus plus the Algarve’s ‘best fish in the world’ combined by the region’s most inventive chefs is expected to produce some excellent results, according to the organisers.
Ceviche is associated with Peruvian cuisine but local historians claim the ‘seviche’ originates from the Arab word ‘sibech’, meaning ‘acid food.’
Historian Juan Jose Vega says that Moorish women used to marinate fresh raw fish with orange and lemon juice for the Incas, creating the ceviche. The recipe from Peru was brought back to Europe by Moorish women from the Granada area who had accompanied Spanish conquistadors to South America.
In a homage to the Algarve's Moorish past, diners at the participating hotels will be given the opporunity to try out menus centred on Ceviche, or Al-Sibesh as it became known.
Also on the list of challenges is a one-off celebratory menu inspired by five of the region’s most characteristic products: Flor de Sal, dried figs, carob, fava beans and oranges.
The 12 top chefs will run workshops on the 9th, 16th and 23rd of April, between 15:00 and 16.00 in Loulé Market.
The ‘Algarve Chefs' Week’ menus will be available in the restaurants of the participating hotels at each dinner service through the week with €1 from each bill going to CASA, a Centre for the Homeless.
The following is the list of chiefs and their hotels:
Chef Marco Alban (Piri Piri Steak House – Pine Cliffs, A Luxury Collection Resort);
Chef Luís Correia (Restaurante Marenostrum – The Lake Spa Resort);
Chef David Domingues (Restaurante À Terra – Praia Verde Boutique Hotel);
Chef Ricardo Ferreira (Pepper’s Steakhouse – Tivoli Marina Vilamoura);
Chef José Leitão (Restaurante MoonLight – Nau Salgados Palace);
Chef Miguel Lourenço (Restaurante The Olive Tree – Vale D´Oliveiras Quinta Resort & Spa);
Chef Vítor Monteiro (Restaurante L14 – Nau Salgados Dunas Suites);
Chef Luís Mourão (Restaurante Al Quimia – Epic Sana Algarve Hotel);
Chef Osvalde Silva (Restaurante Louro – Conrad Algarve);
Chef André Simões (Restaurante Cilantro – Hilton Vilamoura);
Chef Miguel Teixeira (Restaurante Koi – Vidamar Resort Algarve);
Chef Bruno Viegas (Restaurante EMO – Tivoli Victoria).
http://www.algarvechefsweek.com/
