Using local ingredients and old recipes of Madeira allow me to time travel and go back to my childhood. - Luís Pestana William Restaurant aims to propose a creative approach on the modern European food, where contemporary cuisine meets the best of Madeira products to create seasonal food of the highest quality. It will showcase the finest seasonal ingredients from Madeira, influenced by modern international cooking and innovative flavors.
WILLIAM RESTAURANT Named after the visionary founder of Belmond Reid s Palace, Mr William Reid, William Restaurant is a destination in its own right. With a menu celebrating the finest produce from the island, expect seasonal dishes of the highest quality. Savour Chef Luís Pestana s innovative creations alongside panoramic views of the dramatic Funchal coastline. Open 7.30pm to 10pm, Tuesday through Saturday DISCOVER THE WILLIAM RESTAURANT MENU
LUÍS PESTANA EXECUTIVE CHEF BELMOND REID S PALACE Originally from Madeira Island, Luis Pestana is the first and only Madeira-born Chef to hold a Michelin Star from the prestigious Michelin Guide. Pestana began cooking when he was a child, helping his mother, aunt and grandfather. The entire family has always been passionate about gastronomy and the local products of the island. Early on, he started to have his own experiences. At the age of 16, he decided to study the culinary art and after a three-year course, he was considered the best student. At 20 years of age, he was already a Senior Chef at prestigious Reid s, now known as Belmond Reid s Palace. During his career he has had the pleasure of working with international chefs and using some of the finest products in the world.
After years of learning and improving, he quickly garnered the attention of one of the executive chefs at Belmond Reid s Palace, who appointed him as Executive Sous Chef. 27 years later, with more than 100 diplomas, amazing experiences during gastronomic weeks all over the world and training with some of the most prestigious chefs like Marc Meneau (3 Michelin Stars), he is now the proud Executive Chef of Belmond Reid s Palace, including William Restaurant. The opportunity to lead William Restaurant was one of the best challenges of his life; the menu showcases the finest products of the island in seasonal dishes of the highest quality and gives him the opportunity to use his beloved organic products, more than ever.
MEETING LUIS - How would you describe Madeira s gastronomy? The cuisine and food of the island are the result of its European heritage and settlers who first started growing produce in the 15th century, and others who have travelled the world to discover new cultures and products. The English brought the refinement of the art of eating and consequently the island s cuisine has become varied and rich, adjusting to the availability of the products. Food in Madeira is simple, tasty and natural, it s a celebration of the local products with fruit and vegetables being considered King and Queen of the Kingdom. - What would people normally find surprising about Madeira s cuisine? We have a natural and healthy cuisine full of intense aromas and flavours. The incredible diversity of fish, vegetables and fruits found on this very small island leaves everyone amazed. People never expect so many culinary traditions and dishes on an island with only 600 years of history. We have our typical traditional bread, fish and sweets and continue to respect tradition while cooking our products. Our fruits and vegetables grow on the island, they are not harvested ahead of time and are not transported in chilled spaces with controlled or modified temperatures. They have a high degree of maturity, making them sweeter, more natural and close to the agriculture of our ancestors. It is surprising seeing people s reactions when eating a banana in Madeira, for example, as they quickly recognise the quality of our products. - Do you think Madeira s gastronomy is different from the mainland? Portuguese travellers often feel surprised by Madeira s gastronomy. Considering that we are so close to the mainland, our gastronomy and traditions are very different. They eat white scabbard fish, we eat black scabbard fish; we fry the scabbard fish roe, they boil it; they make slim steaks of tuna and we chop it into big pieces. The differences are endless, but they are always surprised with our bread, the bolo do caco, made with wheat and sweet potato; the fried corn (made with corn flour and cabbage) and of course our very own lapas. Madeira s gastronomy has many influences due to all the visitors and foreign families, and the introduction of their culture has given rise to a fusion culture. - Being the first Madeira-born Chef to lead a a restaurant to a Michelin Star, why do you think Madeira have taken so long to get this kind of attention? Chefs tend to deliver what guests want and for many years I believe that visitors to Madeira were not looking for unique gastronomic experiences. Nowadays, people are more interested in getting to know the roots of a place and they have shown a huge interest in our gastronomy. The demand has been encouraging chefs to be bold while new generations are showing a more modern and innovative cuisine to honour the local products and traditions.
- Can Madeira be know for world-class cuisine? Madeira is a small paradise and still relatively unknown by many, but the ones that have already visited us know that we are able to offer a very high-quality service. We welcome people, understand what they are looking for and care about their wishes as well as appreciating any feedback. We have incredible roots, excellent products and a rich gastronomic tradition. We are on the right path and I do believe we have all the tools to succeed and become known for world-class cuisine. - Do you enjoy using ingredients and recipes of Madeira? I began cooking as a child and my family was very traditional. Using local ingredients and old Madeiran recipes allows me to travel back in time to my childhood. I grew up collecting milk, eggs, harvesting vegetables and climbing on trees to pick up fruits, and I must say I was very happy! I do believe my childhood had a massive impact on my cooking philosophy: I like to keep my creations authentic by respecting Madeira traditions, but I love to introduce our very own sub-tropical fruits combined with local highquality products to achieve a perfect harmony.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Patrícia Duarte Public Relations Manager T: +351 963 491 378 - patricia.duarte@belmond.com FOR HIGH-RES IMAGES: www.belmondpress.it - www.belmond.com/media-centre Estrada Monumental 139-9000-098 Funchal - Madeira - Portugal T: +351 291 717 171 - reservations.rds@belmond.com BELMOND.COM