The gala will take place on 25 February, at the Alfândega do Porto Congress Center, and the chosen gastronomic coordinators for the event will be chefs Rui Paula, from the Casa de Chá da Boa Nova restaurant, Vítor Matos, from the Antiqvvm restaurant, and Ricardo Costa, from the The Yeatman restaurant, all with two Michelin stars, announced Nuno Ferreira, representative of the Michelin Guide in Portugal, at a press conference at the Matosinhos Cruise Terminal, in the Porto district.

“The choice of Porto as the setting for the presentation of the new Michelin Guide restaurant selection in Portugal confirms the tourist, cultural, and gastronomic wealth of the Porto and North region, a destination capable of attracting both gourmets and travelers in search of culture and authenticity. With a culinary tradition that stands out for the diversity and quality of its local products, as well as the creativity of its internationally renowned chefs, the region offers a unique experience”, reads the press release given to journalists at the press conference.

According to the Michelin Guide, the region’s culinary offering is marked by both the sea and the land.

“In Porto, cod in its many versions, such as cod à Gomes de Sá, is an indisputable symbol of local tradition, while seafood, such as prawns, octopus and squid, as well as fish such as grouper, stand out for their freshness and quality. In the interior, dishes such as lamprey à moda do Minho and arroz de cabidela offer authentic flavours deeply rooted in regional tradition, while the posta à Mirandesa highlights the richness of local meats”, he adds.

The caldo verde soup, the wine production, which ranges from Minho's vinho verde to the historic Port wine, as well as reds and whites from Douro and Trás-os-Montes, will complete an unparalleled gastronomic experience”, claims the Michelin Guide.

Speaking to Lusa, on the sidelines of the press conference, the president of Turismo do Porto e Norte de Portugal (TPNP) stated that bringing this event to Porto is “quite important” and is “a victory for the Regional Entity of Porto and North of Portugal, with strong support from Turismo de Portugal”.

“We applied to host this gala two years ago, but it wasn't possible. It stayed in the Algarve and very well. But it was possible now. This is, in fact, the result of the strategy of positioning the region as a destination for major events and I will mention two for 2025: we will have the Michelin Guide Gala, one of the most important events in the world in the area of ​​gastronomy, but we will also host the ICCA World Congress in 2025, which is the world association for the ‘meeting industry’ sector, which had never been to Portugal before”.

For Luís Pedro Martins, events like this gala are “catalysts for tourist demand” and bring “significant gains in terms of economics and promotion of the destination”. Luís Pedro Martins added that the Michelin Guide Gala is also “recognition of all the work and quality not only of the region’s gastronomy, but also of its wines, of the entrepreneurs, and of the many chefs that the region already has in Porto and the North”. “In 2024, we would already have nine Michelin-starred restaurants”, he recalled. Created at the beginning of the 20th century to help travellers on their travels, the Michelin Guide is today considered a world reference in restaurant ratings. Portugal entered the guide in 1910.