One Michelin Star. Two Michelin Stars. In reality, what would be the ideal number of stars or at this stage of your life are stars just a small bonus of the great deal that the name Avillez has already conquered?
Michelin Stars are an important recognition in the restaurant industry. I am very grateful to the Michelin Guide for all the recognitions, it is so good to see our work and dedication recognised. I have striven to evolve, even since the beginning, together with the teams. The Michelin Stars not only have a positive impact on people’s interest in the restaurants, but also in promoting Portuguese cuisine and the country.
Can we say that you are also a chef with your particular "foibles”? What can’t you live without, by any means, when cooking, with regard to "equipment” or "utensils”?
To cook, there are obligatory utensils. Each cook may formulate his or her list differently. For me, they are knives, chopping boards, quality pans, stove and oven. In terms of machinery, perhaps the most basic and indispensable is a hand blender or a food mill, to make a good puree.
Do the brand of household appliances and their quality also have an importance in José Avillez’s establishments?
The quality of the utensils and equipment is important in terms of the result and durability. In professional kitchens everything has an intense use. Therefore, quality is even more important.
What about surfaces, do you have preferences: marble, aluminium...? Does the material make a difference when it comes to preparing a meal, or is it just personal aesthetic taste?
Materials differ when it comes to a professional kitchen. There are specific standards for professional kitchens to ensure and facilitate cleanliness and safety for guests and all those who work there. At home I always prefer quality materials, and I give importance to the organisation of the kitchen and also to the aesthetics.
If you could point out, after so many years of experience, three details that have helped you get so far, what would you say they are and why?
The team, a lot of work, and a bit of luck. Luck to have had good teachers, good professional experiences, to have surrounded myself with people who made all the difference and in whom I have great trust, to have a supportive family, to have made decisions and had opportunities at the right times. The team because nothing would have been possible without the collaboration of hardworking and dedicated people. What has been built is the result of the effort of many. And a lot, a lot of work, that is the only thing that allowed us to build what we have today.
If it were possible for you to open a restaurant anywhere in the world tomorrow, would you do it? What would that place be and what appeals to you about that place/city?
This evaluation happens permanently. There are several international projects that are regularly proposed to us. Right now, we are assessing a possibility in Los Angeles; it could be interesting because of the dynamics. And it could be, without a doubt, an important learning opportunity.
