Jose Avillez

With a string of successful restaurants behind his name, including the two-Michelin-starred Belcanto in Lisbon, the 38-year-old is undisputedly Portugal’s top chef. He chatted to Ishay Govender-Ypma about sharing recognition, charity beginning at home and how cooking for diners is like being a clown in a circus

- Ishay Govender

I start the morning with water and an energising smoothie.

I blend rice milk, roasted sweet potatoes, banana, hemp seeds and coconut oil and drink it on the go.

I grew up close to the countryside and the sea.

In Cascais, I was influenced by the flavours and the aromas of the sea – the fish, seaweed and shellfish. But we also had rabbits, chickens and a backyard full of vegetables and fruit.

After school, I’d inspect the food prepared by Laura, our family’s cook.

She was a great cook and I learned so much from her. She lived with our family for 67 years. She was like a second grandmother to me. When I became a cook she was the only one who was sad. “After all you have studied,” she said. She didn’t have the same opportunities to study and back then it wasn’t considered a good profession. All that has changed now.

Bacalhau (salt cod) à Brás is my ultimate comfort food.

It has scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and olives. Bacalhau symbolises our history. We used to call it “a faithful friend” because it’s very cheap and we make it in so many ways.

It’s great being José but I feel a lot of responsibility.