In Portugal, plant-based food is gaining ground, but also competitions. The Portuguese edition of the famous cooking show MasterChef has indeed declared Teresa Colaço, vegan chef, the big winner of the program. The young chef had chosen to prepare a 100% vegan menu for the final on February 26, after multiplying the meatless proposals over the course of the competition. A brave choice that has clearly paid off.
Teresa Colaço is 32 years old and has a passion for cooking. Born in the Algarve, the southernmost region of Portugal, this Lisbon has just realized one of her dreams through adoption: she won the Portuguese edition of MasterChef. The vegan chef made the choice to offer several meatless dishes during the show and the final was no exception. To the opposing candidate, David Vitorino, she offered the jury an all vegan menu, as reported PlantBasedNews† A wise choice, because it proved that meat was not essential to winning in one of the biggest cooking shows in the world.
“This is just the beginning”
Teresa Colaço, however, did not leave this adventure reassured. In November 2021 she said she was “very disadvantaged” compared to his opponents, “all of whom are excellent cooks and masters both Portuguese cuisine and the use of animal proteins”indicates PlantBasedNews† “I haven’t mastered it either, my strong point is vegetables, legumes, seaweed and some ingredients in between, which few people here know”, added the one who also graduated in speech therapy.
Teresa Colaço, a fan of macrobiotic cuisine, showed unerring determination throughout the competition until she achieved the best reward, the win. But the chef assures her, “This is just the beginning”† In a statement addressed to the Portuguese press, she stated that she counted “take the vegan diet as much as possible”†
An unprecedented victory that rewards the commitment of a committed and inspiring chef.