Martiform went to the Maldives with Chef Luca Arguelles
A journey of flavors, in the best company. Martiform spoke with Luca Arguelles about his latest adventure in the Maldives. The Pastry Chef shares how he brought his knowledge and incorporated local flavors to design a unique experience for Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru.
M: How did this opportunity to carry out consultancy work at Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru come about?
L: This opportunity arose because I was their Pastry Chef between 2009 and 2010. I have always maintained very close contact with everyone and, knowing that I was available, they invited me to help modernize the desserts of the Resort's 4 restaurants, as well as assist in preparing the amenities for the Christmas season
M: What impacted you the most in this experience?
L: The fact of returning to a place where I was very happy, a place I almost see as a second home, after so many years since I left, meeting so many people from that time, and all remembering me for the best reasons. Returning to Paradise, to a FourSeasons, after so many years as a consultant, is a source of pride, a sign that I must have done something very good at the time.
M: What do international professionals think of Portuguese Gastronomy?
L: Generally, everywhere I have been, people find our Gastronomy wonderful, a very simple gastronomy but at the same time very complex, where we make a lot with little. They appreciate it a lot. When it comes to our Pastry, they don't like it as much; they find it too sweet.
M: How did your career as a Pastry Chef begin?
L: My career as a Pastry Chef began around the age of 9 or 10 with my mother, somewhat out of obligation, but I immediately developed a liking for it. I knew well how to dip my finger in the egg yolk mixture of the Pão de Ló, for example (laughs). From that time, I knew that Pastry was what I wanted to do. When I finished the 9th grade, I didn't want to continue studying, but my mother insisted that I at least take a course to obtain the 12th grade, and so I did! The course I chose, the only one available in the region, was Hospitality/Restaurant Management at EPRAL in Monforte, because it included Pastry in its curriculum. The idea was to learn a lot and return to the family business, but... it didn't quite turn out that way. With internships in between, friends I made, and feeling comfortable in the hospitality environment, I decided to pursue that path. I grew to like it, developed ambitions, and became increasingly ambitious... the rest is history!
M: You have an extensive international curriculum. Do you consider that the diversity of cultures you have worked with influenced your profile as a Pastry Chef?
L: Without a doubt. We must travel, get to know, learn from all the cultures we can. We are very different, but deep down we are all the same. Above all, it introduced me to ingredients I would not have known otherwise. Wherever I went, I absorbed everything I could from local customs, traditions, and cultures, but I also made sure they absorbed as much of Portuguese culture and customs as possible. Bringing a bit of them and leaving a bit of us only enriches us.
M: What sets traditional Portuguese Pastry apart from the others?
L: Traditional Portuguese Pastry is unique and special, with 4 or 5 ingredients we have a huge repertoire of sweets throughout the country and it is impressive all the special things we can make. No other country can say the same.
There are many types of Pastry around the world, each with its own style, flavor, influence, tradition, but none as rich as ours. I just wish this one were as (re)cognized and valued abroad, where they only know Pastel de Nata.
