- On 10 March, the Portuguese archipelago will host the Michelin Gala, an event that will bring together the country’s leading chefs and put Madeira in the spotlight of international haute cuisine.
- During Holy Week, the destination will also hold two food fairs, the Sugar Cane Fair and the Chocolate Market, which invite visitors to discover Madeira’s culinary heritage.
Madeira, the archipelago recognised as one of the best island destinations in the world, is preparing to host the Michelin Guide Gala 2026, an internationally renowned event that will place the island on the European culinary scene.
The ceremony will be held at the Savoy Palace Hotel in Funchal and will bring together leading professionals from the culinary world. The gala menu will be coordinated by Benoît Sinthon (Il Gallo d’Oro), awarded two Michelin stars and a Green Star in 2025, with a team of five world-renowned chefs. The result will be an exclusive gastronomic experience designed for the occasion, based on local produce reinterpreted from a contemporary perspective, combining tradition and innovation. With this event, Madeira seeks to reinforce its strategy to position itself as an internationally renowned gastronomic destination, highlighting its culinary identity and the quality of its local produce.
The Michelin Gala will not be the only gastronomic event in the destination in the coming months. Throughout the year, these islands maintain a cultural and gastronomic programme that enhances their culinary appeal. This time, coinciding with Easter, Madeira will celebrate two gastronomic festivals that will allow visitors to discover some of its most representative products.
The first festival is the Sugar Cane and Derivatives Fair, which will take place in the municipality of Ponta do Sol. This event celebrates sugar cane and its derivatives (rum and honey), which have become some of the most characteristic elements of Madeiran culture. The event aims to recognise the work of producers and the community linked to sugar cane cultivation, which has historically been important to the local economy. The celebration will take place on 28 and 29 March in Rua do Serrado, where visitors can enjoy live music, food stalls and traditional drinks.
In addition, on Saturday morning, there will be exhibitions dedicated to sugar cane and cane honey production, where visitors can also participate in the cane harvest, an activity that brings them closer to the island’s agricultural traditions.
Meanwhile, the iconic Mercado dos Lavradores market in Funchal will host the 11th edition of the Chocolate Market from 29 March to 4 April, between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The event will bring together different participants around activities for the whole family, such as tastings, cooking demonstrations, themed workshops and the sale of handmade products. In this way, Madeira seeks to promote appreciation not only for cocoa, but also for regional sweets and the products and master chocolatiers of this area.
In this context, the ninth edition of the ‘Best Chocolate Cake in Funchal’ competition will also be held, an initiative that seeks to encourage creativity and innovation in baking. The competition challenges both amateurs and professionals to create original recipes, thus contributing to strengthening and diversifying the municipality’s gastronomic identity.
The choice of Madeira as the venue for the 2026 Michelin Guide Gala confirms the prominence that the archipelago has acquired on the Portuguese culinary scene. The event, together with the proposals linked to local products planned for March and April, consolidates a gastronomic calendar that combines major international events with traditional celebrations, reinforcing the destination’s appeal in the spring season.
Opening image: Lapas. ©Joonas Launch
Source: THE BLUEROOM PROJECT