{"id":5047,"date":"2021-04-19T14:25:32","date_gmt":"2021-04-19T14:25:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tasteporto.com\/?p=5047"},"modified":"2024-10-25T21:48:01","modified_gmt":"2024-10-25T21:48:01","slug":"michelin-chef-rui-paula-i-would-like-pope-francis-to-come-to-doc-restaurant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tasteporto.com\/de\/michelin-chef-rui-paula-i-would-like-pope-francis-to-come-to-doc-restaurant\/","title":{"rendered":"Michelin Chef Rui Paula: “I would like Pope Francis to come to DOC restaurant”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One Chef at a time \u2013 Meet Rui Paula, Michelin star chef in Porto<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This interview was conducted online during the pandemic, providing insights into the restaurant’s situation at that particular time. Rui Paula was elected the National Chef of the Year 2020 and today shares his passion with 3 different projects: DOC, DOP and Casa de Ch\u00e1 da Boa Nova (a Michelin 2-star restaurant). In this interview (or foodie talk, as we like to call it), Chef Rui Paula reveals his thoughts and feelings about food. Continue scrolling to read the original interview below (in Portuguese).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You are the National Chef of the Year 2020 and the owner of some of Portugal’s most respected restaurants, one of which (Casa de Ch\u00e1 da Boa Nova) was recently awarded the second Michelin star. 2020 was quite a year! But the celebration must have been spoiled by the pandemic. What plans do you have to celebrate it properly in the future?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, it was supposed to be quite a year. It is better to put it that way: “it was supposed to”. Because it really wasn’t! It had everything to be the best year of my life, in fact, we were sold out until the end of 2020, but all reservations were canceled due to coronavirus. And, for a few months, we were in survival mode. We went through a rough phase, the planning … I did what I had to do. I opened a shop at Norteshopping, I did everything to keep my employees, but it really was a very difficult phase. I don’t know what else to say, I don’t know what else I could have done to reinvent myself. We had a takeaway at the DOC, it didn’t pay the bills, so…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Let’s go back a few years. Your career started at the C\u00eapa Torta restaurant, in Alij\u00f3, Vila Real district, over 20 years ago. Do you still have dinner or lunch at C\u00eapa Torta from time to time?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, I no longer go out to eat at C\u00eapa Torta restaurant. I am proud that the restaurant remains open. The place is ours but, given my busy life, I don’t have time to visit it anymore. I get feedback from other people who go there and everyone tells me that it’s still a restaurant where you can eat very well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Looking back, what did you like most about C\u00eapa Torta: was it your grandmother’s food? Or the charming atmosphere of the restaurant?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I think it was more the food that I cook there. It was a family house, a farmhouse, and people enjoyed the food. And the restaurant was really beautiful, but then I had the unfortunate idea of taking those woods out and modernize the restaurant and that’s one of the few things I regret the most. The restaurant was quite beautiful when I opened it and, in fact, it should be kept that way. The food was homemade food, comfort food, and people enjoyed it a lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Chef Rui Paula (@chefruipaula)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>