The creations of Ana Patrícia Correia, from Famalicense, are true jewels of the pastry world. Like so many other faces of the European Entrepreneurial Region (EER), she decided to pursue her dream and change her life.
She left behind a career as a Mechanical Engineer and, together with her husband Rui Gusmão Correia, 'immersed' herself in the art of pastry making in what she considers being, to this day, the best decision she has made in her life. "It's not just a profession. It's a dream come true and I can't imagine doing anything else."
Tasting the desserts, she bakes every day and which colour the window of Marupiu Pâtisserie, in Vila Nova de Famalicão, is a complete and surprising experience.
"A visual, olfactory and tasting experience, but above all one of memory". The memory that makes us come back to savour - if only with our eyes - the mastery of the Famalicão pastry chef who in 2023 received the "Chef Pâtissier" award from the International Academy of Gastronomy.
Although the best reward comes from the satisfaction shown by the customers who visit Marupiu every day and appreciate her work, she says that this recognition "was really a fantastic surprise and one of the highlights" of her career as a pastry chef.
She tells us that many desserts have never left her atelier - "I taste everything I make and only put what I'm satisfied with in the shop window" - but that nothing stops her from continuing to create desserts that are as beautiful as they are tasty and surprising. "It's an art to be able to combine all these ingredients," she adds.
The strength, innovation and merit of the face behind Marupiu were highlighted today by the mayor of Famalicense at the start of the "Faces of the EER" programme.
Making known many of the names that help position Vila Nova de Famalicão as one of the largest and most thriving economies in the country and boosting the municipality's entrepreneurial DNA are the main objectives of this initiative promoted by Mário Passos.
"Ana Patrícia's story is the story of many Famalicenses who show us every day that it's worth persisting and going after our dreams, and it's a good example of the boldness and courage of our entrepreneurs," said the mayor, who on his visit to Marupiu this Friday took the opportunity to congratulate the Famalicão pastry chef on the award given last year by the International Academy of Gastronomy.