The ‘Gastronauta manifesto’

Gastronauts are people who like to eat, cook and explore the gastronomic culture of a territory. They like to know where this ingredient came from, how that dish evolved. They like to talk to the cook, the farmer or the fisherman. Context matters. History is important. Why do the Alentejo people make Migas? Why don't the Alheiras have pork? Why do we salt Cod? Why so many egg yolks in ‘Doçaria Conventual’?

Sharing food is an act of love: with those close to us or with perfect strangers. Humanism at its best. Is Portuguese cuisine the best in the world? Certainly, as is French, Italian, Mexican or Thai cuisine. It is an expression of our culture and identity. That’s why we want to talk about it and share it with the rest of the world. Not all at once – there wouldn’t be enough sardines – but in a balanced and sustainable way. With respect.

We want to support Producers who believe and take risks; we want to take people to the most unusual places to get to know people, landscapes and contexts. We want the Interior to have a future, we want Portugal to move forward with memory. This is the ‘Gastronautas’ project.

Why “Gastronautas”. A note about the name of our brand

In 2003 Filipe Gill wrote a book titled “Comida para Gastronautas”. This book shared some of the ideas that form the basis of this project: sharing food, cooking for family and friends, sourcing local ingredients whenever possible and the importance of a sharp knife.

Filipe was in turn inspired by one of his heroes: Keith Floyd. Floyd addressed his viewers and readers as “my dear gastronauts”, More about Keith Floyd.