What’s been your greatest source of inspiration as a chef?
I must say my family and friends. Growing up at our family gatherings it was always full of great Portuguese food cooked by my mom, uncles, aunts and friends. I would stand next to them and help when it was need. The food was the focus point most of the day. I remember before the gathering the talk was “today we are going to eat good” and after the gathering the talk was “I’m stuffed, that was really good.” Those two statements are the drive and satisfaction for me today. If I can have our customers come into Bacalhau Grill saying that they are going to eat good today and after they leave they say “I’m stuffed and that was really good” it makes my day.

What’s new or exciting on your menu right now?
We have our new patio menu in addition to our regular menu that is being used for our new “esplanada de espetos” or “kebob patio” that we opened this summer. We are serving several cuts of meats (beef, pork, chicken) as well as different kinds of sausage (Portuguese linguica and Brazilian calabresa) on a skewer flavored with a blend of spices from Brazil and Portugal served over grilled veggies. 

What’s your favorite Silicon Valley restaurant?
Thinking about this for a bit, Original Joe’s comes up every time for me. Even though it has been a while since I paid a visit. Now I must go …

If you were a vegetable, what would it be?
While it is botanically a fruit, it is considered a vegetable for culinary purposes: the tomato. Nothing like a nice large, cold hothouse tomato sliced, topped with a sprinkle of sea salt and a few drips of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Delicious!

What would your last meal be?
I must pick two. The first would be alcatra (Azorean oven roast) that is cooked for over five hours in the oven and served with white rice and some Portuguese red wine. Second has to be chicharros fritos (Spanish mackerel fry) served with boiled potatoes and a nice simple green salad with olive oil and vinegar as a dressing, Portuguese corn bread and a bottle of Portuguese vinho verde wine.

Bacalhau Grill & Trade Rite Market
1555 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose.
408. 259.6101.