Food glorious food
Michelin star meals are in abundance at this annual gastronomic experience set in one of Portugal’s finest hotels, finds Rosalind Erskine
If sun, sea and a serious amount of good food is your idea of a perfect holiday then the Conrad Algarve’s Culinary Extravaganza is definitely worth booking. Hosted by one of the world’s leading chefs, Heinz Beck, this three-day event brings together the pick of the crop of Hilton’s chefs, many of whom boast a Michelin star or two.
A total of 15 chefs served up lavish dinners, laid-back lunches and a sunny barbecue brunch in various locations within this five-star resort during my stay.
After landing in Faro, I joined my group at the opening night of the Culinary Extravaganza. Held in the lobby of the beautiful Conrad Algarve – which has been designed to resemble a Portuguese Neo-classical Palace from the 18th century – this was by far the largest and most extravagant dinner of the three days. A temporary kitchen had been set up in the lobby lounge, and this is where chefs Heinz Beck, Ricardo Costa, Maurizio Serva and Jacob Jan Boerma prepared their dishes. These included basil tortellini with lyophilised (freeze-dried) mozzarella and tomato salad water and artichoke egg with topinambur, mint drops and white truffles. Entertainment such as dancing, singing and acrobatics were performed between courses. Specially curated welcome cocktails were mixed and served at the tables, with sommelier-paired wines accompanying each course with each meal at every event.
With the event ending around 1am, I finally had some time to enjoy my King Deluxe room, which included a huge king bed, desk area, balcony with pool views and marble clad en suite with bath and separate rain shower. Guests attending the Culinary Extravaganza can look forward to little extras in their room such as a bottle of Espumante Bruto sparkling wine.
Day two was kicked off with a laidback, sunny barbecue held in the hotel’s gardens. A buffet selection of dishes from Joe Barza from the Conrad Cairo, Franco Luise from the Hilton Prague and Osvalde Silva were the perfect start to another day.
The evening of day two was the ultimate Michelin star dining experience, with seven courses being served throughout the night. Held in Heinz Beck’s Gusto Restaurant, chefs Jacob Jan Boerma, Juan Amador and Heinz himself showcased their award-winning fare in dishes that included duck tortellini with
pumpkin purée, Grana Padano fondue and white truffle and calf sweetbread served with lemon and yuzu, texture of carrots and jus of lemongrass.
The final day wound down with the “Suite Celebration” lunch, held in the award-winning Roof Garden Suite with its infinity pool, retractable rooftop, private terrace (accessed via a private lift) and a personal host. This more intimate event included savoury, seafood-led dishes from the Conrad’s own Osvalde Silva, Chris Jefferson from the Hilton London and picture perfect sweet treats from Idan Hadad from the Hilton Tel Aviv.
And the final meal of the event (and trust me, you won’t want to eat too many meals for a while after such indulgence) was once again held in Gusto. Chefs on this night included Chris Galvin from Edinburgh’s Waldorf Astoria, Heinz Beck, Joo Won and Sidney Schutte from the beautiful Waldorf Astoria in Amsterdam. Dishes had an autumnal vibe and included seasonal ingredients such as lamb, beetroot, pigeon and blue lobster.
If all this eating takes it out of you then the hotel’s facilities will not Clockwise from main: the roof garden at the Conrad Algarve; Gusto Restaurant; chef Chris Galvin’s dish
disappoint. An indoor pool – which was deserted in the morning and ideal for a peaceful dip – is perfect for cooler days, but there is also a spacious outdoor pool. The awardwinning spa also has a small infinity indoor/outdoor pool, as well as sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi. Treatments range from the traditional – massages and facials – to the innovative.
Guests who stay on in the hotel before or after the Culinary Extravaganza should take advantage of the local experiences that are available to book. These include clam picking in the Ria Formosa with Oysters and Champagne degustation and a visit to the local market with the executive chefs. Keen golfers will appreciate the hotel’s close proximity to some of the leading European golf courses of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo. If the promise of amazing food and a luxurious location sounds like your ideal mini break, then look out for this year’s event. n
If all the eating takes it out of you, the hotel facilities will not disappoint
Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) fly from Glasgow to Faro with flights from around £75 one way. Room rates for the Conrad Algarve (www.conradalgarve.com) start around €230 per night with tickets
culinary events starting at around €150. Contact the hotel for details of the next culinary event.