Chef Chat: George Mendes and Jose Avillez Talk Portugal, Pressure, and NYCWFF

Between the two Iberian cuisines – Portuguese and Spanish – the latter has received the most attention, with countless cookbooks and news stories written about everything from Basque to Andalucian fare and everything in between.

Chefs José Avillez and George Mendes are about to change all of that. The pair, who will be uniting for an exclusive collaboration dinner this Saturday as part of the 2016 New York City Wine and Food Festival, is together and apart contributing to a Portuguese food movement that has been slowly but steadily on the rise.

Mendes, whose Aldea and Lupulo are two of New York’s most popular dining destinations, burst on the culinary scene in the mid-nineties following his graduation from the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park and several notable stages in Europe. His beautifully photographed cookbook, My Portugal, highlights 125 classic Portuguese recipes from across the country.

Well known within Portugal for his beloved restaurant Belcanto and his recently opened Bairro de Avillez, Avillez staged with Alain Ducasse, Ferran Adria, and Eric Freshon before embarking on the creation of his seven restaurant – and growing – empire.

We spoke with the chefs about their NY Wine and Food Festival collaboration, the pressure to keep their restaurants relevant, and why Portuguese food is on the cusp of breaking big. Here’s what they had to say. [pagebreak]

What can NYWFF attendees look forward to from the two of you?

George Mendes: An opportunity to taste Portuguese cooking from two extremely passionate chefs. José is at the pinnacle of his career, and a really loud spokesperson for Portuguese cuisine. I think together we’ve been spreading the word and helping to move Portuguese cuisine forward.

José Avillez: We will prepare a unique dinner that will showcase some of our great Portuguese flavors… Portuguese cuisine is starting to capture international attention. Lisbon is becoming a gastronomical destination, and is already competing with other large European cities as a tourist destination.

Had the two of you met before working on this event together?

George Mendes: Yes, he’s always been a friend and colleague and a big inspiration. We’ve done a couple of events together in the past.

José Avillez: We have known each other for some years. I have great admiration for George’s work. He is a true ambassador of Portuguese cuisine in New York. I’ve had the pleasure of welcoming him in my restaurants in Lisbon during his visits to Portugal and of meeting him in several gastronomic events. He is a great chef. [pagebreak]

How do these kitchen collaborations work? Does one of you take charge or is it 50/50?

José Avillez: This collaboration was prepared well in advance. We shared ideas about ingredients and plates, decided how many dishes each of us would prepare, exchanged suggestions, and then arrived at a final menu. Each of us will prepare a set number of dishes, and the meal will certainly be surprising.

George Mendes: We’re working in the same framework where we’re introducing very simple Portuguese dishes with a touch of our signature styles as well.

Any chefs you’re looking forward to meeting at the festival? And what will you talk about with them?)

José Avillez: I will try to meet as many chefs as possible and to get to know some of their experiences and share with them some of my own. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn and broaden horizons.

Chef Mendes: Aldea just celebrated its seven-year anniversary. How do you keep things fresh and exciting, both with your menu offerings and the staff cooking them?

In honor of our seventh anniversary, we wanted to create a new menu at the Aldea bar that paid tribute to some of the restaurant’s signature dishes throughout the years. We called it “Seven Signature Bites.” It’s a flight of snacks, each encapsulating a different Aldea classic reimagined in bite-size form. In terms of our staff, I’ve always been open to letting my team create and contribute, and it’s become a very collaborative kitchen. Mentoring and nurturing a younger generation keeps me inspired, and I love helping them find their own voice. [pagebreak]

Chef Avillez, your new spot, Bairro do Avillez, is different from your six other restaurants in that it’s far bigger – 300 seats in about 10,000 square feet of space and a staff of 78. Do you feel more pressure with this much larger operation?

José Avillez: I found the Bairro do Avillez location several years ago… The Bairro do Avillez concept was born about a year and a half ago, and its making was a complex process. In 2011 we began by opening Cantinho, a small venue. Now, with all this space, I thought it made sense to integrate several concepts, and thus the neighborhood idea was born. (Bairro do Avillez means Avillez means neighborhood in Portuguese.) Operating a restaurant of this size and with different concepts increases the pressure, of course. But it is a dream shared by the whole team.

Speaking of pressure, do you guys feel any pressure to really “turn it out” for these festivals?

George Mendes: I look at the festival as an opportunity to collaborate with friends—no pressure.

José Avillez: I love to attend food festivals and to spread the word about Portuguese cuisine. I don’t feel pressure, just enthusiasm. There is always some expectation regarding how everything will go, but we always prepare beforehand, we give it our best, and everything turns out fine. [pagebreak]

Chef Mendes, how does your time spent training with Chef Martin Berasategui inform your cooking?

Martin’s approach was to look back at his family memories for inspiration, which now greatly informs my cooking as well. A lot of recipes of mine are borrowed and translated from my family’s cooking.

Chef Avillez, do you ever wonder what your life might look life if you had continued to pursue your business career, the path you were on before deciding to become a chef?

I finished my degree in Business Communication but, with the quick expansion of my company – we now have seven restaurants with a team of over two hundred people – I had to learn how to split the time between the kitchen and the company management. If I hadn’t decided to be a chef, I would probably have chosen a path related to the arts. I love creating. It’s my true passion.

Be honest: Is it strictly business at these festivals or is there a behind the scenes “Party like it’s prom night” thing happening at a secret chefs only after party?

José Avillez: For me, this kind of initiative is just work and a good opportunity to exchange experiences with other chefs and to talk to the guests. I work hard and have on my hands the great responsibilities of taking care of the large structure that my company has become. The very little free time I have is to be with my family.

George Mendes: No comment.