Seasons of change
In its seventh consecutive year as a Michelin-starred restaurant, Gusto by Heinz Beck is feeling the winds of change.
Not only is the Conrad Algarve’s restaurant preparing new experiences for guests, but fresh talent is also infusing vibrancy into the kitchen.
At the end of last year, a young Italian chef, ascending the ranks of culinary excellence, reached the pinnacle of the Gusto kitchen. Stefano Bulla, just 26 years old, was appointed head chef by Heinz Beck after six years under Liborio Buoncuore’s guidance following the latter’s return to Italy.
Chef Stefano Bulla
With a fervour for food, the young chef, hailing from Valle d’Aosta in northern Italy, dedicates his life to gastronomy, whether in the kitchen at Gusto or travelling the world in search of new flavours.
His passion was ignited early on, first in his grandmother’s kitchen, then thanks to a summer job at a local restaurant in the Alps, where he discovered traditional Italian cuisine.
This eye-opening experience led him to apply to the prestigious ALMA school in Colorno, founded by Gualtiero Marchesi, the first chef to be awarded three Michelin stars in Italy in 1986.
“I studied there thanks to my grandparents, who paid for the school, as it was quite expensive. I spent a total of 10 months at ALMA. The first five months were residential, during which I learnt and studied all aspects of gastronomy,” he recalls. Then came five months of internship at chef Heinz Beck’s La Pergola in Rome. “It was a great honour to be chosen as, at that time, there were 80 of us in class, and there were only nine restaurants with three stars in Italy.”
Rome transformed Stefano’s life. At the three-star restaurant, he worked long hours, putting in great effort and waking early to prepare the kitchen for his team.
“After all, that’s the role of an intern,” he acknowledges. His unique attitude helped him immensely. “I always say that the most important thing in the kitchen is attitude – it’s about how you work, the respect you show, and everything that comes with it. You can learn techniques and skills, but having the right attitude and behaviour towards others makes all the difference. This is what I am striving to convey to the team now as head chef.”
Following his internship in Rome, chef Heinz Beck offered him the opportunity to join his team in Portugal, where he swiftly climbed the ranks.
Chef Heinz Beck
Today, at 26, the newly appointed head chef relishes working directly with Heinz Beck. Like his mentor, Stefano advocates for healthy eating, aiming to create a nine-course menu that leaves guests satisfied without making them feel overly full. “That’s the style we aspire to with chef Heinz Beck.
We use a variety of sauces, but no butter, cream or heavy wine reductions,” which he deems too rich for a tasting menu. “For the red mullet sauce, we use red cabbage and apple extract. It’s a plant-based sauce, and it’s incredible,” he exclaims.
“You might say we use simple ingredients; however, when transformed and used correctly, the results are truly remarkable. That is precisely what we aim for,” chef Stefano exclaims. “Just yesterday, a guest told me he’d never tasted such a beautiful artichoke. Its texture and how it was cooked were unlike any vegetable he’d had before. And that’s significant because we often assume that great chefs rely on lobster, veal loin or foie gras. That’s easy. However, enhancing the flavour and texture of a vegetable or a basic ingredient is what truly makes the difference.”
The chef strives to make every ingredient shine: “You can use vegetables, but if they’re not done correctly or cooked with too much butter, they lose their flavour,” he explains.
For this, seasonality is essential. He gives the example of out-of-season vegetables, such as courgettes, that lack flavour if eaten in December.
“Similarly, eating a tomato salad in January offers no taste. It simply isn’t the right time for it. It’s really important to use the right vegetables and fruits at the appropriate time of year. You need to respect nature and the seasons. Be patient. Then, when you have the best product, you can make the best dish.”
Sustainability is also a hot topic in his kitchen, where his team strives to minimise food waste and repurpose it. Not only that, every aspect of the operation is part of a sustainable mechanism. “It’s not just about the final product on the plate; it’s the journey to get to the plate that is important,” believes Stefano.
The young head chef’s passion and determination are palpable. To convey this in his kitchen, he leads by example: “Marchesi used to say that leading by example is the best way to teach others. So, if you conduct yourself in a certain manner, speak in a particular way, and act accordingly, people will follow.”
As for pursuing a second star, “it’s not an obsession. But you certainly need a goal to achieve”, admits Stefano. “However, ultimately, every day, we work for our guests, not for the guides. The greatest reward for me is seeing our guests happy and eager to return,” concludes the chef.
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