Maria Nicolau's surprising words about restaurants: 'I would...'

Maria Nicolau is among the most prominent figures in Catalonia. Her presence on programs like Tot es mou on TV3, and her success with the book Cremo! have established her as one of the leading voices in gastronomy. Besides her career as a chef, Nicolau is known for her direct style and her ability to offer opinions that always spark conversation.

Recently, the chef surprised everyone with a tweet that sparked a lively debate about wines in restaurants. With her usual frankness, Nicolau shared her perspective on how to choose wine from the menus of establishments. In her message, she made it clear that there's nothing to be ashamed of when ordering the cheapest wine.

Maria Nicolau's recommendation on restaurant wines

Through her social media, Maria Nicolau spoke about the relationship between the price of wines and the quality they offer in many restaurants. Despite the perception that more expensive wines are the best, the chef assured that the house wine can be an excellent option.

"Never be ashamed to order the cheapest wine on the menu," was the message Nicolau shared on her Twitter account, a statement that quickly caused a lot of interaction. With this assertion, the chef challenged a common habit among diners: avoiding the cheapest wines for fear of what others might say. Nicolau defended that if a wine is offered on the menu, it's because the restaurant believes in its quality, regardless of its price.

The idea that cheaper wines are of poorer quality has much to do with the social and cultural expectations surrounding wine consumption. For her, gastronomy should be a space of enjoyment without prejudice. Where people can feel free to choose without fear of judgment from others.

Humility as a value in cooking and the price of wines

For Maria Nicolau, the key in the wine offering lies in honesty. House wines, in her opinion, should be "humble, good, and unpretentious wines," something that also reflects her approach to cooking. In this sense, the chef also commented that she would find it strange to order the most expensive wine on the menu, as she prefers simpler yet equally tasty options.

Meanwhile, Nicolau expressed her disagreement with the high prices that are sometimes practiced in some restaurants. In her view, "the prices are abusive," a criticism that aligns with her stance that gastronomy should be accessible to everyone. For her, the value of a wine shouldn't be linked exclusively to its price, but to the quality it offers to the diner.