6 minute read
Chef Francisco Marques
From humble beginnings in Siridao to a popular chef in the UK today, Francisco Marques has won many hearts for his exquisite Goan cuisine.
The easiest way to win a person’s heart is through the stomach. And that’s probably what happened when Hollywood superstar Sylvester Stallone finished polishing off a plate of Pork Vindaloo at the UK-based Le Porte des Indes. After a quick scan of the menu card, Stallone noticed the chef’s name under 'Vindaloo' and walked all the way to the kitchen.
“Rambo told me that my Vindaloo was very nice. He loved it. He met all of us in the kitchen. We even took pictures with him,” reminisces Chef Francisco Marques.
It’s no surprise that Vindaloo is Marques’ signature dish. “For me, Vindaloo is a passion, it’s a piece of my heart. Whenever someone orders Vindaloo, I smile happily. Cooking Vindaloo brings me immense joy. I pour my 100% into it,” he says.
For Marques who hails from Siridao in Goa, cooking began at a very young age, and ever since, he has been winning hearts for the past 28 years. “We didn’t have any sisters in the family, so I took up cooking in the house. My mother would sell fish,” he says.
Marques’ career as a chef took off in 1997 when he started working at a hotel in the UK. “I used to follow chef Cyrus Todiwala. Then in 2000, I developed a great interest in executive chef Mehernosh Mody, the director of Le Porte des Indes,” he says.
Marques credits his mom for instilling in him a love for cooking, and even named his popular catering business in the UK – Luiza’s Kitchen, after her. The business has been running successfully for the past 24 years.
"My mother always used to tell me: Money will come, but never compromise on quality. Never cook just for the sake of it. You must have love in your heart for the food you cook. Love is the key to our success,” says Marques.
“My mother would offer valuable suggestions for our catering orders. She passed away last year," he adds.
Marques’ five brothers along with their spouses and children assist him in his business that caters to food requirements at social events, mostly hosted by Goans. While the catering business flourishes in the state today, Marques says that setting up a similar business in Goa when he was young was not possible.
“We didn’t have any government job. We come from a humble family, with no great background or financial support. We had a fishing business back in Goa – a small motor-powered canoe. It was enough to meet our daily food requirements. We could not start a food business in Goa as we didn’t have the necessary finances. So we decided to migrate abroad. But we didn’t go to the UK to start a business. We thought of using our cooking expertise to start the catering business,” he says.
Word soon spread, and in a short span, Luiza’s Kitchen was doing well.
“Initially, the catering business was slow in the UK as there were very few clients. Not many Goans were there when we first arrived. We used to take a few orders. Back then, outdoor catering in London was a small business. Today, a lot of Goans are there in the UK and many new caterers have also entered the business. Our market has expanded as Goans are also giving us business, and caterers like us are doing well. Only Goans are supporting us, and because of them we have risen to this level,” he says.
While he started social media handles on Facebook and Instagram to promote the catering business four years ago, Marques’ popularity came purely through word of mouth.
“We never promoted the catering business in a big way, say through social media or even Google ads in the UK. However, we do put up a stall annually at the Goa Day event (GOA) in the UK. A lot of people come for the event. People enjoy my food and they instantly book us for their events. That’s my publicity,” he says
At the recent Goan Crazy Party held in the UK, Marques was instrumental in curating the menu for the event.
“I told the organisers to use high-quality ceramic cutlery and give the attendees a fine dining experience. There was Goan food from start to finish. We had a live counter to cook the food at the event. The response was tremendous. Many people appreciated me. Some people there even booked me for their private functions,” he says.
At La Porte, Marques was fortunate to meet many film celebrities like Tom Cruise, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Sri Devi, and others like Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasurya and eminent fashion designer Wendell Rodrigues.
But Marques’ claim to fame is the mention of his Pork Vindaloo ‘Ordinaire’ recipe in the La Porte des Indes Cookbook.
“Vindaloo has to be cooked to perfection to get the right spicy flavour. The vinegar should be in the correct proportion, the pork has to be tender, and the cooking has to be perfect. After it is ready, Vindaloo is best consumed the next day. There is a subtle variation in taste when you have it on the first day and second day. Vindaloo never gets spoiled. The vinegar preserves it and adds more flavour with each passing day,” he says.
When it comes to sausages, Marques only chooses the Goan variety. “We can’t replicate the process of making ‘Goechim Chourisa’ in the UK simply because there is no adequate sunlight. Even if we get all the ingredients here, it is not possible to create that distinct flavour. When we all travel to Goa in April and May every year, we get the chourisa and freeze it in the UK. And when the annual GOA festival is held here in the summer, we get a lot of customers who tell us that our chourisa are the best because we use low fat and more meat,” says Marques.
Another Goan delicacy that Marques makes to perfection is 'Sanna'. "Goans are very emotional about Sanna. It is always sought after for catering orders. My mother taught me to master the Sanna preparation, while Mody also gave me some valuable tips. Goans from as far as Scotland, America, Dubai and Portugal place orders for Sanna with me. We also specialise in Jaggery Sanna," he adds.
While Marques has been running an Indian cuisine restaurant ‘Triphal’ in Wimbledon since 2018, he says Goan cuisine is famous but needs to reach a global level. “The new chefs who are coming from Goa are spread across the world. They are the ones who should popularise it. When we tell British people that we are Goans, they come to talk about Xacuti. They speak about their experience in Goa and what they ate. They even tell us to make 'xitt kodi'. There is a bright future for Goan cuisine,” Marques says.
And that is why Marques has set his sights on opening an exclusive Goan cuisine restaurant. “This is my plan in the UK. I am sure it will happen, by the grace of God.”
