Belcanto: Portugal Reimagined in Recipes and Reflections

'José’s cuisine ... has empowered an entire country.’ – Ferran Adrià

A stunning celebration of chef José Avillez’s visionary Portuguese cuisine, creative philosophy, and pursuit of excellence at Belcanto, his internationally acclaimed Michelin-starred restaurant in Lisbon, Portugal

In his first English-language cookbook, José Avillez opens the doors to his Michelin-starred Lisbon restaurant, Belcanto, showcasing his masterful expression of Portuguese cuisine, which reimagines culinary heritage through place, provenance, and creativity.

A foreword by the iconic chef Ferran Adrià offers a personal perspective on Avillez’s significant contribution to Portuguese gastronomy, which is further explored across the more than 70 recipes collected in six chapters: Small Bites, Starters, Fish, Meat, Desserts, and Mignardises.

Avillez’s recipes champion the bounty of the Atlantic in such dishes as Tuna Belly Tartlet, Turnip Greens & Salt Cod Tartlet, and Lobster Bread Mash, while Suckling Pig with Orange Purée and Milk-Fed Lamb with Chickpea Stew reinterpret classic Portuguese dishes through his contemporary culinary style.

The book features a distinctive, embossed, woven-cane rattan-patterned cover, echoing the refinement and craftsmanship of Belcanto, and making the book an exquisite object in its own right. One hundred twenty specially commissioned images capture the cuisine, the landscapes of Portugal, the restaurant, ingredients, and the people behind Belcanto, and an additional section presents 40 foundational preparations including stocks, sauces, oils, and preserves.

Belcanto is an essential work of inspiration for professional chefs, those who love fine dining, and gastronomes everywhere.

‘My admiration for José is reasoned and well-founded. His importance as a figure in gastronomy goes far beyond the fact that his creations are delicious and that his cuisine is as elegant and elevated as it is subtle and intelligent. All that, and more, is José’s cuisine, which has empowered an entire country: the evolution of the past twenty years has marked a turning point in Portuguese gastronomy.’ – Ferran Adrià -