Portuguese chefs Alexandre Silva, from restaurants LOCO and Fogo (1* Michelin), and André Cruz, from the restaurant Feitoria (1* Michelin), are flying to San Francisco, USA, for The Art of Tasting Portugal, which will take place on June 1, at the Atelier Crenn (3* Michelin), run by chef Dominique Crenn, one of the world’s leading gastronomic figures, and the first and only chef to win three Michelin stars in the USA.

“This strategic event brings to San Francisco two talented chefs who contribute so much to the excellence of our gastronomy, establishing a bridge that simultaneously highlights our country in the US and invites this market to come and discover Portugal. Chef Dominique Crenn is a true inspiration, and we are sure this will be an unforgettable gastronomic experience where Portugal will be the star of the evening”, said Patrícia Dias, co-founder of The Art of Tasting Portugal.

“We believe this initiative, with the support of The Art of Tasting Portugal, is extremely important for the qualitative promotion of Portugal as a tourist and gastronomic destination, and this is undoubtedly one of the most strategic markets for our country. Chef Dominique Crenn’s restaurant, for whom we have enormous admiration, will be hosting two Portuguese chefs for an unprecedented experience, from the ocean to the table, where the seafood will be the highlight, prepared in a distinctive and creative way by these professionals of excellence”, added Adriana Fournier, co-founder of The Art of Tasting Portugal.

This exciting event will take place at the Atelier Crenn, a restaurant awarded 3 Michelin stars and a Michelin Green Star that presents creations exclusively prepared with fish and seafood, which is a project inspired by Dominique Crenn’s life story. The Art of Tasting Portugal invites you to embark on a gastronomic adventure highlighting the sea and the two countries, with a jointly created menu focussing on seasonal fish and seafood, comprising several unmissable moments on a journey along the Portuguese coast.

The French chef will kick off the event with the amuse-bouche and starters, followed by the irreverent and deeply creative Portuguese chefs with the main courses: Alexandre Silva will present Carabineiro, tangerine, and seaweed, and André Cruz will present Roast turbot, turnip and coriander rice and lobster açorda. To end this tribute to the ocean, Juan Contreras, head pastry chef and co-owner of Atelier Crenn, will round off the event with sweet moments.

Wine is one of the most important elements of Portuguese gastronomy and this dinner is harmonised with vintages from various parts of the country: Quinta do Ameal Loureiro 2021, Quinta do Ameal Solo Único 2021, Esporão Reserva Tinto 2019, Esporão Private Selection Branco 2020 and Quinta dos Murças Minas Tinto 2021.

The first references were produced by Quinta do Ameal, located in the Vinho Verde demarcated region, a property that has specific characteristics such as granite soils and agricultural practices that respect nature, presenting unique wines with a capacity for evolution that reflect the various expressions of the Loureiro grape variety. The Esporão wines were produced in Reguengos de Monsaraz, in the heart of the Alentejo, at Herdade do Esporão, which has approximately 702 hectares of vineyards, olive groves, and other types of crops. The last wine is from Quinta dos Murças, which is located in the centre of the DOC Douro and has eight distinct terroirs and vineyards with dozens of native grape varieties, planted using organic farming. These six wines have been carefully selected to harmonise with the flavours and aromas of the ocean on an equal wine journey through the country.

The Art of Tasting Portugal presents an approach to the country as a distinctive gastronomic destination, highlighting the essence of each region, its gastronomy, and the products of excellence that can be found in the national territory, bringing together the community of people whose work stands out in this activity. Based on the premise that Portuguese gastronomy is one of Portugal’s main arguments as a tourist destination, this platform presents a tourism product centred around experiences and events with gastronomic emphasis – some of them developed in partnership with the Michelin Guide – designed to provide memorable moments and this reflecting changes in international tourism trends.