The Stars Route’s 7th edition opens with the now customary Kitchen Alive.
Under the banner of presenting gastronomy as a reason to visit Madeira, this evening’s Kitchen Alive was the official kick off of the Stars Route’s 7th edition, an event held from 19th to the 23rd of February at The Cliff Bay Hotel’s Il Gallo D’Oro.
This is a chance for people curious about food to share some moments with the ‘stars’ of national and international gastronomy. Joining Chef Benoît Sinthon are names such as Michael Van der Kroft (2 Michelin Stars, ‘t nonnetje, Netherlands), Erik van Loo (2 Michelin Stars, Parkheuvel, Netherlands), Richard van Oostenbrugge (2 Michelin Stars, Bord'Eau, Netherlands) or José Avíllez (2 Michelin Stars, Belcanto, Lisbon).
All of them are also joined by Olivier Barbarin (Chàteaux d’Audrieu, France), Henrique Leis (Henrique Leis, Algarve), both holders of a Michelin star, Kiko Martins (A Cevicheria and O Talho, Lisbon), Paulo Morais (Portugal’s Asian food expert), Joannic Taton (Les Terrasses de Lyon, France), David Faure (Aphrodite, France) and Miguel Gameiro (Alain Ducasse School, Portugal).
Stars, stars and more stars. From the best Portuguese sommeliers selling with their utmost talent Portugal’s wines to the great pastry chefs, all gathered with the same purpose: from the sea to agriculture, to promote products of excellency.
A total of eleven guests are spread among the twenty nine stations, twenty for food, nine for drinks, in true fusion of gastronomy and oenology.
Suggestions vary, from station to station, and are as diverse as the smoked fish and oysters, caviar and scallops conceived by chef Henrique Leis, chef Miguel Gameiro’s langoustine. Eventually one reaches the ‘star’ station where regional squid is cooked by chef Benoît Sinthon.
And drinks are not lacking in diversity either. A Pommery and an ice sculpture with the event’s name carved out welcome you. The highlights are, as would be expected, national wines such as the Dão wine, the Bairrada wine, regional wines and green wines. There is also, however, an area reserved for international wines, under the care of sommelier George Mendes. Beer enthusiasts also get their fair share with whole station dedicated to the beverage at The Rose Garden.
The restaurant is but one of four spaces where the event is brought to life as it also occupies the interior lobby the kitchen (where one can watch experiments with the ambience being provided by a DJ) and a microexperience at Il Gallo D’Oro, this year’s main novelty.
A casual and relaxed environment set to live music providing people with an ideal place to wander around tasting delicacies made by the very best while sharing their experiences. Mission accomplished.
This is the first of the three dinner services the event comprises. It will be followed by two other tasting events consisting of six exclusive dishes. On Monday the 22nd of February, the service will have Michael Van der Kroft, Julien Boutonnet (France’s Best Pastry Chef of 2015) and Christophe Renou (Vahlrona School, France) in attendance.
On the following day, it will be the turn of Dieter Koschina (2 Michelin stars, Vila Joya, Algarve), Hans Neuer (1 Michelin Star, Ocean) and Rui Silvestre (1 Michelin Star, Bon Bon). They will have the chance of displaying their creations and showcasing the best of what is done in Portugal, in the company of Frenchmen Julien Boutonnet and Christophe Renou.
And this is only the first of this gastronomic festival’s six stages as it tours many of the country’s Michelin Star-holding restaurants. Last year, for the first time ever, it went as far as the Spanish restaurant As Garzas in Galicia.
Likewise, this edition will also see our neighbour nation though this time around it will be hosted in the Nectari restaurant, in Barcelona, on the 5th and 7th of May. Its other restaurants are The Yeatman (Oporto) in March, the Eleven (Lisbon), in June, the >Bon Bon (Algarve) in October and the final destination in the Algarve, the Vila Joya, in November.
