Chef Rodrigo Castelo presents Lagostim do Rio (river crayfish) on TAP Air Portugal’s menu this summer. ‘Local Star’ is part of a new partnership with The Art of Tasting Portugal in the summer months.
The Local Stars project is the result of a partnership between TAP Air Portugal and The Art of Tasting Portugal (TAOTP) which, every two months, presents a region of Portugal and a national chef, selected for their strong ties to a territory and who chooses a star product that symbolises the region in question and also serves as inspiration for the signature menu.
Lezíria do Tejo and Lagostim do Rio are featured on the menu created by the chef from Scalabria for the Local Stars initiative in July and August. Fresh and very tasty, it’s already on board in Business Class on TAP Air Portugal’s long-haul flights. Rodrigo Castelo is the navigator of this journey of flavours through the Ribatejo’s gastronomy, the result of a partnership between The Art of Tasting Portugal and the national airline, now in its second year.
A product, a region and a host chef are the ingredients of the Local Stars initiative, a platform for promoting Portugal through gastronomy and organising exclusive experiences. Local Stars is designed to valorise and promote the different regions of the country through gastronomy and highlighting the most iconic products. In July and August, Chef Rodrigo Castelo gives us a taste of the Lezíria do Tejo region.
Located on the banks of the river, Lezíria do Tejo is a real hidden treasure in the heart of Portugal, where tradition mixes with modernity and nature reveals all its exuberance. In addition to its natural beauty, the region is also known for its rich cultural and historical heritage. Its picturesque towns and villages bear witness to centuries of history and tradition. The Ribatejo’s culture is also famous for its gastronomy, which reflects the influence of the different cultures that have crossed paths here over the centuries.
The Local Star chosen by chef Rodrigo Castelo is the Lagostim do Rio, one of the treasures of Portuguese aquatic fauna, associated with the Lezíria do Tejo. This region, marked by the presence of the Tagus and Sorraia rivers and their tributaries, is home not only to incomparable natural resources but also to a unique cultural tradition rooted in its communities.
The crayfish, commonly found in the calm waters of the rivers, is an element of the diet and economy of these communities. The locals, known for their fishing and navigation skills, have developed specific techniques for catching this crustacean, making it not only a food but also an integral part of their cultural identity. Here, it is very important to recognise and highlight the persistent work of chef Rodrigo Castelo in using the crayfish as an integral part of the region’s gastronomy. As the crayfish is an invasive species, the work that the chef has done, as well as being gastronomically very interesting, has continually helped to balance the ecosystem by encouraging its capture. The chef chose this product as his star product, his Local Star because it is typical of local cuisine and thus contributes to the preservation of the Tagus ecosystem while maintaining the cultural identity of the region and the avian communities, with which the chef identifies, having been born and raised there.
A trip to this region via TAP’s in-flight menu, in the hands of chef Rodrigo Castelo, is an unforgettable experience, where time seems to have stopped and life unfolds to the tranquil rhythm of the River Tagus.
The menu created by chef Rodrigo Castelo, based on the essence of Ribatejo and its gastronomic identity, consists of three dishes: River Crayfish and Bimis Salad, Beef, Potato and Mushroom Gratin, and Pumpkin Pudding, Drunken Pumpkin, Cheese Cream. This menu is served to passengers in Business Class on TAP Air Portugal’s long-haul flights departing from Lisbon.
“Until the end of August, we are delighted to be serving in Business Class on long-haul flights, the gastronomic creation of chef Rodrigo Castelo, who focuses on products from Lezíria do Tejo. We offer our customers a menu that itself conveys Portugueseness, as well as a concern that we, at TAP, have for sustainability. We try to serve meals that make a positive impression on our customers, not only because of the originality and quality of the Portuguese products used by the chefs but also because of the messages they convey. TAP is developing a series of initiatives to be increasingly sustainable and environmentally friendly, so the idea that chef Rodrigo Castelo attaches to this menu is identified, across the board, with TAP,” says Catarina Índio, Head of Inflight and Ground Product in TAP Air Portugal’s Customer Engagement area.
“Knowing that with the Local Stars initiative we can make Portuguese gastronomy ‘fly’ higher and further has been a winning bet. The Art of Tasting Portugal platform has been mapping out the best the country has to offer, from the raw materials, the products of each region, to the territories themselves with their essence, culture and identity, combining all this with the creativity and excellent work of Portuguese chefs, who are increasingly taking Portuguese gastronomy across borders.” – says Patr