Who is Rui Lacerda and what is his relationship with Vila Nova de Gaia and the restaurant world?
Rui Carlos Carvalho Lacerda was born on March 27, 1973, in the parish of Santa Marinha, one of the 24 parishes that make up Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto. I am a "son of the land," as they say. I could not be more identified with the third most populous municipality in our wonderful country. I have had the good fortune to witness a development in my city over the last decade like never seen before, starting from the coast and ending in the center.
As the saying goes, the restaurant business is something that, at first, you find strange, but then it gets under your skin. Some even add that it is a prison and "this and that." Above all, we must like what we do, otherwise we run the risk of everything being a prison and being painful. The restaurant business is one of the most challenging, least repetitive, and most altruistic fields I know. Obviously, as in all areas, there are good professionals and bad professionals, but as far as I and my team are concerned, we try every day to be better than yesterday, in every way—both in customer service and in the quality of the products we present. Is there anything better than getting to know thousands of people, cultures, and habits from other latitudes without ever leaving our comfort zone!?
Tell us a little bit about the identity of the Sancho Panza Restaurant and what characterizes it.
Sancho Panza is located in the most well-known and visited area of the city, not only for its beauty but also for everything located there. The Port wine cellars, the panoramic cable car, the wonderful views of our D. Luís bridge and the city of Porto, ending with our Douro River that bathes both cities. The Sancho Panza Restaurant was born from a joke among three friends who dined together every weekend, never repeating a restaurant, until one day they decided to open their own space. From the beginning, we always wanted a space that was unpretentious, yet beautiful, comfortable, and with unique views. Sancho Panza was born on the Gaia quay, right next to the cable car. It is a place where you can snack and share 48 different flavors; yes, we never wanted "main courses," but rather small plates for sharing.
However, to complete our menu, we also have more traditional dishes from our city, as well as from our country, such as the wood-fired Francesinha, both the regular one and the 1952, which is the true Francesinha on Biju bread with roast beef, fresh sausage, and linguiça, covered with cheese and our wonderful sauce made with a recipe from the 60s.
We also have Bacalhau à Zé do Pipo, codfish with cornbread, baked octopus, Chuleton, Cachena steak, and many more alternatives. The menu is in constant evolution. Every quarter, we create new lists, keeping the most requested flavors and launching others that are either requested by customers or that we think can add something to the restaurant. When visiting our space, we try to provide an experience that elevates our customers' senses to the maximum, starting from the views which are stunning—and forgive my boldness, but they are among the most beautiful in the world—to the most typical flavors and aromas of Portuguese cuisine. I believe we have managed to grow and distinguish ourselves as a value proposition in the restaurant sector in the Porto Region, and do not be mistaken if you think it is due to the tourists. About 80% of our daily customers are Portuguese. I would like to highlight that despite being in a tourist area, we are not a restaurant for tourists, but for locals, starting with the prices and ending with the care in the service.
We are also a restaurant with diverse environments: more festive and birthday-oriented on the weekends, and quieter on weekdays, which invite dinner for two. We recently inaugurated a new room where it is also possible to host more private events. We also have a smaller, cozier room for couples.
To what extent does the Sancho Panza Restaurant view the impact of cleaning and disinfection as a way to guarantee the quality of the delicacies prepared?
When it comes to cleaning and disinfection, these are procedures that we cannot compromise on at any moment, which is why we chose the best partner in this area, Mistolin Solutions. The implementation of HACCP procedures, as well as daily disinfection routines, were considerably perfected and improved thanks to the products proposed to us by Mistolin Solutions.
We have also noticed a reduction in costs due to the dispensers proposed for all cleaning detergents as well as for all other products that we consume regularly. I also highlight the quick response and friendliness of the sales representatives in order to solve any problem that may arise.
What is your vision for the future of the restaurant industry?
Regarding the future, I foresee a year equal to or better than this one, although I am a little apprehensive about the price increases that are being felt everywhere. This increase suffocates businesses, because if we were to pass on the entire increase to the final customer, it would become prohibitive to eat out.
In order to boost and control all business areas within the restaurant, we have created several departments and established accountability for our staff, as if our employees don't "wear the jersey," it won't be easy to overcome this price escalation. With this intention, we have a purchasing team managed by Fátima Santos, we also have a dining room team managed by Paula Soares, Filipe Regadas, Alessandro, Jorge, Saionara, Eduardo, and Jeanne. We have the kitchen managed by Ana and Marta, we have a grill managed by Hugo, assisted by Wellington and Juelson, and we still have the dishwashing area managed by Sónia.
To finish, I would like to thank and value initiatives like this from Mistolin Solutions, as it is actions like these that, little by little, help make known what is being done throughout this country, stepping out of that "métier" of the "Michelin" establishments, which often cannot hold a candle to the less famous ones.
