Running A Tafona since 2009, Lucía Freitas has designed a path in which she has defined her current gastronomic trajectory, closely intertwined with her Amas da Terra project, through which she gives visibility and a voice to the women with whom she collaborates.

    Bakers, farmers, fisherwomen, shellfish gatherers, livestock farmers, craftswomen, and winegrowers support a large part of the economic and social fabric of rural Galicia. An project by and for them that is expected to connect with other similar proposals in places such as Japan, a country frequently visited by the chef.

    The day-to-day life of the restaurant, located in the centre of Santiago de Compostela, begins with Freitas going to the local food market. As she navigates through the various stalls, she stocks up on goods and chats with the traders. Their work is so important to the cook that portraits of these vendors are hung in the dining room of the establishment, giving them a well-deserved recognition in front of the diners.

    This link to tradition is also reflected in the analysis of the most popular recipes, such as the preparation of the so-called caldo de gloria or broth of glory, in homage to Rosalía de Castro and prepared with millo corvo (black corn), or by evoking her childhood in the dish Mi felicidad (My happiness) thanks to small dairy producers such as Airas Moniz.

    Freitas actively engages in research and mediation between producers and the academic and scientific community. She collaborates with the university and other institutions through Amas da Terra and the Centro Tecnológico de la Carne (the Meat Technology Centre) in relation to the use of beef, while also working on the recovery of  traditional sausages.

Freitas cooks in accordance with the territory, translating its values into her dishes, a collaborative network that is completed with the formation of a team in the restaurant made up entirely of women, who, even today, face challenges in assuming responsibilities in restaurants. Focusing on the professionalism and capacity of each one of them within A Tafona is also part of this project.