Miguel Azevedo Peres, Pigmeu

My name is Miguel Azevedo Peres, and I am the founder of Pigmeu, a Portuguese restaurant located in Lisbon. 

At Pigmeu, we practice "nose to tail" cooking, where we use the entire pig, respecting every part of the animal and minimizing waste. We work exclusively with local organic producers, native breeds, and seasonal ingredients, creating a proposal that combines tradition, creativity, and ecological awareness. We believe that every choice at the table can have an impact on the food system.

 At Pigmeu, a whole pig can feed about 350 people. The restaurant menu is always made up of 1/3 seasonal vegetables, 1/3 pig offal, and only 1/3 of the meal is the actual meat of the animal. One of our main goals is to bring offal back to the table. In a time when we talk so much about reducing meat consumption, we continue to waste offal or, at best, turn it into animal feed. Offal represents about 30% of the animal's weight, and if we can replace part of the meat at the table with it, we can effectively reduce about 30% of the meat that is slaughtered worldwide. 

It is simply the most sensible thing to do: if an animal is slaughtered for consumption, it should be used from head to tail. Including seasonal vegetables as the main component of the dish helps us, once again, reduce the amount of meat per meal. And when we finally get to the meat, we’ve already eaten vegetables and offal, and we also accompany it with more vegetables – which makes the total amount of meat consumed much lower. If that amount is reduced, it allows us to choose higher-quality meat, even if it is more expensive, which makes it possible to work with farmers like Herdade do Freixo do Meio, pioneers in regenerative agriculture. 

We have our sustainability plan and work every day to make Pigmeu a more circular space and closer to zero waste. 

Tips:

1. Embrace the "Nose to Tail" Philosophy

• Tip: Try using more parts of the animal in your cooking. Instead of only buying standard cuts of meat, consider incorporating offal (like hearts, livers, or kidneys) into dishes.

2. Incorporate Seasonal Vegetables

• Tip: Base your meals around what’s in season. Not only is this environmentally friendly, but seasonal vegetables tend to be more flavourful and cost-effective. Look for local markets or CSA programs to access fresh, in-season produce.

3. Reduce Meat Consumption

• Tip: Reduce the amount of meat you use in your meals by replacing part of it with vegetables, legumes, or offal. This can help cut down on the environmental impact of your meals while still ensuring a satisfying, protein-packed dish.

4. Waste Less, Use More

• Tip: Be mindful of food waste by using all parts of your ingredients. For example, with vegetables, use stems, leaves, and skins when possible. Try roasting, blending, or making stocks with parts you might otherwise throw away. Use the rest for composting.

5. Support Local and Sustainable Producers

• Tip: Choose local, organic ingredients to support sustainable farming practices. Building relationships with local farmers or participating in CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs can provide you with fresher, more ethical food choices.

7. Cook with High-Quality, Regenerative Ingredients

• Tip: Invest in better-quality meat, even if it’s more expensive, because it often comes from more ethical and sustainable sources. If you reduce the total amount of meat you consume, this allows for the occasional splurge on higher-quality, responsibly sourced cuts.

Recipe - Integrate offal in your cooking

A simple recipe that our chef, Alexandre Ballarin, recently created for our lunch menu: 

Take the best lasagna recipe you have – whether from your mother, grandmother, or the best chef in the world – and, where it calls for "ground meat," replace 70% of the meat with chopped pork heart. Keep the rest of the recipe exactly the same. You’ll see that the lasagna will still be delicious, and you will be using an ingredient that is often unjustly wasted.

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