Chef Octávio Freitas traz a Madeira e os seus vinhos ao continente
Octávio Freitas, executive chef of the restaurant Desarma (1 Michelin Star), will be on the mainland for several days to participate in various events and to present, for the first time on the continental territory, the wines bearing the label Octávio Freitas Winery.
In his suitcase, he brings the flavours of Madeira as well as the wines Galatrixa, Cagarra, and Massaroco. On the agenda, is a dinner with Chef Marlene; a lunch in Coruche, at the Martin Boutique Wines Farmhouse; and, additionally, his debut at the Congress of Cooking.
“It is necessary to leave the island to see the island” is perhaps the motto of Chef Octávio Freitas for the upcoming days spent on the mainland. Not that he has doubts about his homeland, but because he is presenting for the first time, and in person, his wines – Galatrixa and Cagarra – to various “audiences” so that the best of what is produced in Madeira is known. A heads-up: besides the already mentioned wines, it will be an opportunity to test a novelty, still in tasting format, which is not (yet) available on the market – the Massaroco.
“I am a true Madeiran and strongly connected to the land where I was born. I realized my dream of producing wines by planting the vines that now make up my gardens. Galatrixa, the first wine that came from the harvests of my project Socalco Nature Calheta, is the ‘firstborn’ of the Octávio Freitas Winery. A white wine, produced from typical Madeiran grape varieties – Verdelho, Malvasia Fina, and Folgasão. More recently, I launched our second white wine, Cagarra, made from the Verdelho and Sercial grape varieties. The Octávio Freitas Winery is also preparing to launch a third brand, which is being labelled and will come to the market in 2024. This is the Massaroco, the name of an endemic plant of Madeira.”
Produced from sustainable vineyards, with integrated production certification, the wines from the Octávio Freitas Winery are sure to make a stir in the coming days on the continental territory (see attached technical sheets). Check the agenda and find where to experience the Madeira of Octávio Freitas, the flavours, and his wines in the following lines.
Marlene invites Octávio Freitas
It is already on the next September 25, Wednesday, that Chef Marlene will host Chef Octávio Freitas at her restaurant, in a four-hand dinner in which the starred Desarma chef will bring Madeiran ingredients that so characterize her kitchen that honours her homeland, but also his wines, highlighting Galatrixa and Cagarra, which will be part of the proposed wine pairing.
Octávio Freitas will bring to the table products like passion fruit, fennel, and wreckfish, and Chef Marlene proposes to focus on Portuguese seafood.
With 9 courses and wine pairing, the dinner begins at 7:30 PM with a welcome drink and costs €230 per person. Reservations should be made via email or by phone (+351 912 626 761).
A lunch at Martin Boutique Wines Farmhouse
The tour of Octávio Freitas continues to Coruche, where a memorable lunch is expected at the Martin Boutique Wines Farmhouse. At the invitation of Pedro Martin (former sommelier of 100 Maneiras and JNcQUOI, producer and CEO of Martin Boutique Wines), Octávio Freitas will have the opportunity to present his wines, also to combine Madeiran ingredients with what Pedro Martin’s farm and the region’s producers have to offer, inspiring an exclusive farm-to-table menu. In a month when the vineyards are in the spotlight, Octávio Freitas’ wines and those of Pedro Martin will be brought together at the same table in a set of irreverent proposals.
Launched exactly a year ago, these lunches at Pedro Martin’s refuge have only 16 seats and guarantee a unique experience, with a menu exclusively created for the occasion.
This lunch, with limited seats, begins at 1 PM on Saturday, September 28, and costs €80 per person. Reservations can be made by phone: at +351 911 130 173 or via email.
At the Congress of Cooking, we talk about Freedom
In the year marking the 50th anniversary of April 25, the Congress of Cooking proposes the theme “Food and Freedom.” Among the dozens of chefs confirmed for the next days, September 29 and 30, in Oeiras, is Octávio Freitas, a guest speaker for the second day. Laurissilva, the starting point of Madeiran cuisine, is the theme chosen by Octávio Freitas, a chef born and raised on the island of Madeira, the “inspiring muse” of his cooking. The relationship between gastronomy and freedom will thus be the focus of Chef Octávio Freitas’s speech at 6:30 PM on September 30.
Nirvana Studios, in Oeiras, will be the stage for prominent names in national and international gastronomy, for established talents in the gastronomic scene, or for emerging chefs with differentiated proposals. There will also be music, debates, masterclasses, and the final of the “Best Pastel de Nata.”
Twenty years after the first edition, in 2024, “Freedom as a fundamental characteristic of cooking” will be celebrated, as revealed by Paulo Amado, founder of the Congress of Cooking, which this year presents Cape Verde as a guest country, continuing to highlight the theme of previous editions – African Connection.
Chef Octávio Feitas
Octávio Freitas was born in Câmara de Lobos and, thanks to a strong family connection to gastronomy and food, discovered that he wanted to be a cook at the age of 11. Trained at the Professional School of Hospitality and Tourism of Madeira, he learned the most while exploring the island with its traditions, gastronomic adventures, and regional knowledge. Considered one of the most creative chefs of his generation, he continues to maintain an interest in training, new techniques, and the expansion and sharing of knowledge. He is passionate about everything from the land and has a curious perspective on traditional products and their use in his kitchen, dedicating himself to organic gardens, researching, and studying typical Madeiran ingredients. He founded the Octávio Freitas Winery and launched his first wine – Galatrixa – from vines planted on his property.
Executive chef of The Views Hotels and the restaurant Desarma, he surprises with a cuisine of sensations created from the most traditional ingredients, in a blend of originality and simplicity, enhancing a dance of senses in the mouth. He is the author of the book “Receitas com Mel,” an archive of knowledge about cane sugar honey from the island, and has been a protagonist and promoter of Madeiran gastronomic culture across the seven seas and an author of various regional radio and television programs.
Always confirm with the concert hall or promoter the conditions of access, confirmation of the date or time, ticket place of sale, price, and availability.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok and see the exclusive content for social networks.
