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It sounds easy, it sounds like the good life – but sampling 40 dishes in two days takes its toll. We’re not talking about a tiny nibble with the tip of a fork; we mean proper tasting. More often than not, that meant polishing off the whole plate, either because we needed a complete experience of the flavours and textures, or simply because it was far too good to listen to our bodies' warning signs, and share it. This weekend, throughout Chefs on Fire, both scenarios were out in full force. A great sign. Sure, we ended each day sprawled on the sofa, draining our household stock of sparkling water, but with zero regrets and no complaints. Quite the opposite. On both Saturday and Sunday, we left Parque Marechal Carmona dreaming about the standout dishes of the day. And there were many. After cross-referencing our tasting notes with a strict commitment to land on a top 10 (not a single dish more!), we settled on the ranking below. Now we're clutching our heads over what didn't make the cut.
Here are the best dishes at Chefs on Fire 2026, according to the Time Out team.
1. Petter Nyström, Familjen
Courgette, charcoal-smoked butter, crushed green herbs, and piri-piri
2. João Magalhães Correia, Bar Alimentar
Pork tongue and pancetta skewer, yoghurt, and salad
3. Ricardo Costa, The Yeatman
Portuguese fish, vichyssoise, mushrooms, and marrow
4. Afonso Dantas, A Cozinha do Paço
Alentejo pork collar, smoked potato, and oxheart tomato
5. Diogo Formiga, Encanto
Stale bread ramen
6. João Saloio, Mãe
Asparagus and hazelnut tacos with green salad
7. Louise Bourrat, Mammarua
Octopus shawarma, tomato salad, garum, and la-yu
8. João Rodrigues, Canalha/Grupo Monda
Sames de bacalhau (cod bladders) with chickpeas
9. Tiago Penão, Kappo
Yaki ika (grilled squid) and sea urchin beurre blanc
10. Tiago Bonito, Éon
Lamb kafta, chickpea hummus, fennel salad, and Greek yoghurt
