Want to Be the Best
"Whatever you become in life, whether you're a dishwasher or a minister, make sure you're the best."
My father used to say that. Often.
I still think about it whenever I walk into a restaurant.
Because being the best isn't about Michelin stars. Or designer interiors. Or thousands of followers.
It's about caring.
I was in Portimão the other day when Michelin ⭐chef Nuno Martins from NUMA stopped me for a chat.
He told me he now buys everything locally, 100%
No ingredients flown across Europe. No unnecessary food miles. Just Portuguese products from Portuguese producers.
It would be much easier to send one order to a wholesaler.
Instead, he works with around twenty suppliers. A farmer from Aljezur bringing fresh sweet potatoes that afternoon. Local fishermen. Local cheesemakers.
More work.
Better food.
You can see that same care in the dining room. His wife welcomes the guests. His son is the sommelier.
A real family business.
Honest food. Honest prices. Great value.
One story stayed with me…
Nuno told me that a guest from New York had called to reserve a table. Six people. They wanted six tasting menus: one regular and five vegan.
"Can you do that?" the guest asked.
"Of course," Nuno replied.
No hesitation. No excuses. No "that's not how we do it."
Just one simple goal: make every guest happy.
That's what people who want to be the best do. They don't look for limitations.
They look for solutions.
This week I also visited two restaurants that were comfortably in our Top 100 last year.
They won't be there next time.
Not because the food became terrible.
Because something else disappeared.
The pride.
A new manager. New staff. Less attention. Less passion.
It's amazing how quickly a great business can become an ordinary one.
Not overnight.
Just one shortcut at a time.
My father was right.
It doesn't matter what you do.
Just make sure you care enough to be the best.
photo:
Chef Nuno Martins of NUMA, Portimão. Great restaurants aren't built on shortcuts. They're built on people who care.
