Angra do Heroísmo is participating in the "7 Wonders at the Table" competition and is one of the pre-finalists.
Gilberto Vieira explains that after the initial application, "in which we were selected by experts as one of the 49 pre-finalists, there are now seven galas with seven participants each. From each of these galas, two will advance to the next phase, which in turn will serve to find the seven finalists."
It's worth remembering that, unlike this initial selection made by experts, all subsequent phases involve public voting via premium-rate phone calls.
The application came through Quinta do Martelo, and Gilberto Vieira states that what led him to compete was "above all to promote the rich gastronomy of Terceira Island, its origins and the rural environment where much of it was created. At the same time, to contribute with this pillar to the affirmation of tourism in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, on Terceira Island and in the Azores, knowing that gastronomy functions as a significant attraction in the choice of destinations," says the owner of the hotel unit that has a table in the competition, adding that "with regard to the gastronomic component, Quinta do Martelo is a repository of the traditional gastronomy of Terceira Island, presenting typical dishes from various social realities of the island's communities."
The restaurant offerings are integrated into a broader context of an ethnographic and gastronomic center, where one can observe and experience the evolution of the gastronomic and civilizational culture of Terceira and the Azores throughout the centuries. This involves meticulous work in collecting and recreating traditional settings, from architecture and props to traditional techniques of various professions, with a museum space featuring workshops dedicated to each one, and the cultivation of the land, where products used in the preparation of the dishes served at the traditional restaurant "A Venda do Ti Manel da Quinta" are grown using traditional methods.
This effort has already earned numerous awards and distinctions over time, including the 1st National Heritage Gastronomy Award and the 1st Cultural Heritage Gastronomy Award. Specifically regarding the 7 Wonders at the Table, representing the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, we present a table composed of selected elements from our entire menu in the official categories of appetizers, soups, fish/seafood, meat/game, and wines, complemented by the categories of historical, cultural, and natural heritage, as well as tourist accommodation.