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 GOAN NETWORK | PANAJI
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,” 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. Cooking Vindaloo brings me immense joy,” he says.
For Marques who hails from Siridao, cooking began at a very young age, and ever since 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 working in 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, director of Le Porte des Indes,” he says.
Marques credits his mum, who passed away last year, for instilling in him a love for cooking, and even named his popular catering business in the UK after her – Luiza’s Kitchen – which has been running successfully for the past 24 years.
Marques’ five brothers along with other family members, including spouses and children, assist him in the business catering to food requirements at social events.
“Initially, the catering business was slow in the UK as there were very few clients. Today, a lot of Goans are in the UK and many new caterers have also entered the business. Our market has expanded as Goans are also giving us business,” he says.
At La Porte, Marques was fortunate to have met many film celebrities like Tom Cruise, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Sri Devi, and others like Sri Lanka cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya and acclaimed Goan fashion designer late Wendell Rodricks.
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 variant 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,” says Marques.
Another Goan delicacy that Marques makes to perfection is 'Sanna'.
"Sanna is always sought after for catering orders. My mother taught me to master the Sanna preparation, while chef Mody also gave me some valuable tips. 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.
“New chefs coming from Goa are spread across the world. They are the ones who should popularise it. 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.”
