Ponta Delgada, Azores Islands, Portugal, Oct. 24, 2025 (Lusa) - The Association for the Economic Enhancement of the Portuguese Azores region is "multiplying" events aimed at strengthening the promotion of the archipelago's goods and services and the qualification of human resources linked to tourism, its president said on Friday.
"We have multiplied the events and initiatives that highlight Azorean raw materials, our local producers and chefs, in partnership with national and international chefs, who bring knowledge and visibility. The goal is to promote Azorean cuisine as a benchmark of excellent quality," said the association's president Eládio Braga in statements to the Lusa news agency.
Created in 2021, with its current name, the Association for the Economic Enhancement of the Azores (AVEA) is the result of a merger between the Azores Tourism and Hotel Training Association and the Portas do Mar Association.
AVEA's "main mission is to promote the goods and services of the Azores and to improve the quality of resources linked to the tourism sector, with a particular focus on the restaurant and hospitality sector," he said.
In this context, Eládio Braga said that the association has organised several events at the Azores Tourism Training School and at the Amphitheatre, a restaurant/school located in Ponta Delgada, which "aims to promote the gastronomy of the Azores and the excellence of Azorean products".
"We have two areas of expertise: the Training School, which trains young technicians in the restaurant sector, in the kitchen and front of house. At the same time, we promote continuous training for active workers, according to the needs demonstrated by companies, so that we can increasingly improve the skills of resources linked to the tourism sector," he emphasised.
According to the president of AVEA, the impact of the actions and initiatives developed "has been considerable," indicating that in 2024, around 30 advanced courses in the area of cooking were promoted, and this year, the offer was extended to oenology (the science and study of wine and winemaking) and fine dining, with almost 100 people enrolled in the two training courses.
"We have been consolidating our role in qualifying the sector, working side by side with companies to build training courses tailored to their needs. AVEA is prepared to bring training to companies and will continue to invest in thematic events that mark the gastronomic agenda of the Azores," assured Eládio Braga.
Thus, between 27 October and 1 November, the association is organising the second edition of "Week Food Lab" on the island of São Miguel, bringing together Michelin-starred chefs, young local talents and experts focused on sustainability, in a training experience that culminates in three themed dinners where pairs of chefs will create menus with Azorean products.
The initiative is also open to the entire population, with basic-level workshops and dinners organised between the days 30 October and 1 November.
"It is a landmark event in the qualification of hospitality-related resources, a space for sharing and continuous learning," said the association.
The "Week Food Lab" will take place at the Pavilhão do Mar and the Anfiteatro restaurant in Ponta Delgada.
As last year, the organisation says that sustainability continues to be present in the programme, from training to dinners, and also in the conference "Sustainability in Catering - a 360º process", which will take place on 28 October.
This year, the project has been extended to the areas of dining room service, bar and wines, "making the training experience more complete and in line with the demands of excellent catering," promoting "differentiating experiences."
In addition to these training courses, the initiative also offers basic training for chefs and "those who are curious and want to take their first steps in gastronomy, as was the case last year," adds AVEA.
APE/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
