In the summer of 2024, Casa Velha do Palheiro, a hotel located in the Palheiro Nature Estate, decided to transform its main restaurant into a fine dining restaurant, naming it Oxalis. An open kitchen was built, where chef Gonçalo Bita Bota took on the challenge of creating an innovative menu, full of flavor and creativity, which immediately caught the attention of the Michelin Guide, which included Oxalis on its list of recommended restaurants in Madeira.
The work has never stopped. The chef and his team have been innovating menus, promoting collaborative experiences with other chefs, thus adding value to the restaurant's cuisine, in a classically styled hotel, the only one in Madeira belonging to the Relais and Chateaux chain.
A year has passed, and it's time to celebrate the first anniversary. The party is a Gourmet ‘Arraial’ the Portuguese word for traditional party, on the hotel lawn, amidst the lush greenery of the historic property, visited by the King of Portugal passed in 1901. This will be the first edition and will take place on September 12th, beginning at 7:00 pm.
The organizers promise "a unique event that unites contemporary gastronomy, Madeiran tradition, and nature." The format will be live cooking. Food and beverage stations will be set up, where the six featured chefs, most of them renowned in contemporary Madeiran cuisine, will create dishes inspired by Madeiran cuisine, but with a gourmet reinterpretation. "Each station will be a tribute to the essence of the arraial, with its own identity and heightened creativity," reads the Casa Velha do Palheiro press release.
Chef Gonçalo Bita Bota has invited Filipe Janeiro, César Vieira, Dúlio Freitas, Júlio Pereira, and Carlos Afonso to the arraial.
Filipe Janeiro is currently the face of Gazebo, a Michelin-recommended restaurant where you can enjoy highly creative tasting menus in the intimate setting of a Madeiran farmhouse. César Vieira also caught Michelin's attention for his work at Audax, a restaurant that boasts progressive Madeiran cuisine.
Dúlio Freitas heads the kitchen at Adega do Pomar, the Quinta da Moscadinha restaurant dedicated to traditional Madeiran and Portuguese dishes and comfort food. Júlio Pereira heads a group of restaurants, including the Mediterranean-inspired Kampo, which was featured in the red-cover guide.
The guest list closes with Carlos Afonso, a renowned culinary artist who is known for his frequent appearance on television programs on 24 Kitchen and CNN Portugal.
The Arraial Gourmet aims to present an atmosphere that is "intimate, relaxed, yet refined." The organizers assert that each creation "will be designed to surprise, inspire, and celebrate this special date," the anniversary of Oxalis.
The evening will also feature entertainment by Madeiran singer Maya Blandy.
The event is open to the public and has a capacity of 150 people. The cost per person, upon reservation, is €135.
