The creators of a street food festival called ‘Arrebita Portugal’ held in Portimão this summer have been awarded the Grand Prize of the Portuguese Gastronomy Academy.
Ana Músico and Paulo Barata from event promoter Amuse Bouche were singled out for creating an “original and creative event” that featured some of Portugal’s “best chefs,” according to the academy.
The festival took place between August 21 and 23 in Portimão – and later in Idanha-a-Nova in October – and saw 15 chefs preparing a sweet or savoury dish especially for the festival, using local produce to make mouthwatering regional dishes as well as international classics.
Among the list were Portuguese Michelin-starred chefs Henrique Sá Pessoa, famous for his Lisbon restaurant Alma and now a TV celebrity; Tiago Bonito, the man in charge of Amarante’s Largo do Paço; and Rui Silvestre, head chef at Vila Nova de Cacela’s Vistas.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the event was held outdoors at the town’s Praça da República square and adjacent streets and featured one-way corridors in order to avoid large gatherings.
The food was served by the chefs directly from some of the town’s stores, such as shoe shops or opticians, in a bid to bolster local businesses which were hit hard by the pandemic.
