The start of another season at the Brisa do Mar restaurant, located in the historic Reid’s Palace, a Belmond hotel, unfolded as tradition dictates: at the table. And not discreetly. A four-course dinner, paired with wines, marked the reopening of this seasonal venue, where gastronomy meets a setting that is hard to replicate: the Atlantic right at your feet, the golden light of late afternoon, and live music completing the scene.
It was in this setting that two chefs with different paths, but a shared vision of cooking, came together: resident chef Zélia Santos and special guest Noélia Jerónimo, for a four-hands dinner celebrating the diversity and richness of Portuguese gastronomy.
Brisa do Mar occupies a unique place in recent Madeiran hospitality. Set on a terrace literally above the ocean, it was conceived as an “al fresco” experience, where the natural surroundings are just as important as what arrives on the plate.
The space balances relaxation and sophistication with care. The open kitchen brings guests and team closer, making the culinary process visible and part of the experience. Alongside, a lounge and bar extend the evening with cocktails and music.
Seasonality is central to its identity. Typically open between spring and autumn, Brisa do Mar takes full advantage of Madeira’s climate to offer a concept that thrives outdoors, on light and landscape. More than a restaurant, it is a place designed to be enjoyed at leisure.
Zélia Santos’s cuisine: produce, identity and consistency
At the helm of the project is Zélia Santos, a Madeiran chef whose career was built within Reid’s Palace itself. She began as a junior cook, moved through various hotel kitchens, including the former Les Faunes and Villa Cipriani, and over the years developed a solid technical foundation that now shapes her approach.
She took over leadership of Brisa do Mar in 2024, a moment she describes as one of “responsibility” and “pride”. Her proposal is built on a clear idea: to highlight local produce, respect seasonality and work with Portuguese tradition through a contemporary lens.
On the menu, this philosophy translates into direct, flavour-driven cooking where the ingredient takes centre stage. Fresh fish and seafood play a central, though not exclusive, role. There is also room for comfort dishes, meats and recipes that evoke memory, reinterpreted with subtlety. Examples such as Madeiran ceviche, confit squid salad or duck leg with regional couscous illustrate this blend of place and technique.
Mediterranean influence appears naturally, without overshadowing Portuguese identity. The aim is not to reinvent, but to refine, to bring precision, lightness and contemporaneity to a recognisable foundation.
Noélia Jerónimo: authenticity and instinct
The presence of Noélia Jerónimo at this opening dinner brought another gastronomic geography to Brisa do Mar: the Algarve. Having started working at the age of 14 and building her career in a largely self-taught way, she has become one of the most respected figures in Portuguese cuisine.
Her restaurant, opened in 2007, has built a reputation grounded in consistency and absolute respect for the product. She is often described as a “chef’s chef”, recognition that comes from her peers.
Her cooking is marked by apparent simplicity and intensity of flavour. She works with what the day offers, favours fresh ingredients and creates menus that evolve naturally. Rather than showcasing technique, she seeks emotion and authenticity.
In the context of this dinner, her approach resonated with that of Zélia Santos. Different origins, but a shared point: valuing the product and rejecting excess.
Kitchen conversations: demands, journey and reality
The meeting between the two chefs also provided an opportunity to reflect on their professional journeys. Without focusing on labels, both acknowledged to Essential the demands of the path.
Zélia Santos speaks of pressure, the constant need to prove one’s worth and to manage both internal and external expectations. “You have to be very strong and know how to keep balance,” she summarises, stressing the importance of not being carried away by either praise or criticism.
With more years of experience, Noélia Jerónimo highlights above all the practical challenges of the profession: demanding hours, impact on personal life and the need for persistence. She speaks of choices, absences and a path shaped by determination.
There is also a critical perspective on younger generations. For Noélia, today’s challenge is not so much finding chefs, but finding cooks willing to start from the ground up. “Everyone wants to be in charge, but no one wants to clean the stove,” she observes, pointing to a disconnect between expectations and reality.
Zélia Santos reinforces this idea through her own journey, marked by gradual progression within the hotel structure, a path that today underpins the leadership she exercises.
An experience that goes beyond the plate
Brisa do Mar extends beyond the kitchen. Its programme includes events, themed dinners and collaborations that keep the space dynamic throughout the season. Live music and DJ sets on selected nights add a social dimension that complements the gastronomic offer.
Yet it is perhaps in the combination of all elements that the restaurant stands out: location, atmosphere, service and cuisine come together to create a coherent experience. There is a sense of lightness, of an extended summer, that runs through everything — from the menu to the way time seems to slow down at the table.
Service with a keen eye
The service reflects the quality of the space. It is young, relaxed and brings together six nationalities, blended into a balance of diversity and consistency. There is a welcoming smile on arrival, a bar offering a cocktail list and many other drinks, and careful attention to detail. The front-of-house team is led by Petra Ferreira, who also built her career within the hotel.
Tables are arranged along the terrace, always overlooking the ocean and Funchal Bay. At Brisa do Mar, one can breathe in the sea air and watch the sunset. It is also possible to enjoy just the bar and take in the view, from a lookout where the famous Clementine Churchill, wife of the British statesman, was photographed in 1950.
Between tradition and contemporaneity Within Madeira’s restaurant scene, Brisa do Mar occupies a distinctive place. It does not aim to be avant-garde in the most radical sense, nor does it merely replicate tradition. Instead, it sits at an intersection where Portuguese identity is respected and sensitively updated.
The opening dinner, with Zélia Santos and Noélia Jerónimo, was a clear expression of this approach. Two cuisines, two journeys, one shared idea: to cook with honesty, with produce and with intention.
In a place where the sea is ever-present, that honesty carries even more weight. Because, in the end, that is what remains: the flavour, the moment, and the memory of an experience that goes far beyond the plate.
