The research, conducted by travel experts at CV Villas, analysed the 10 most popular dishes from 50 global cuisines and ranked the recipe data based on difficulty, preparation time, and the number of ingredients. These metrics were indexed to create the “Confusing Cuisine Score” out of 100, establishing the cuisines posing the most problems for optimistic holidaymakers, in which Portugal scored 60.50.

The Top 5 most challenging cuisines:

  1. China
  2. Portugal
  3. Greece
  4. India
  5. Vietnam

Portugal emerged as a close contender for the top spot, ranking second globally with intricate pastries and seafood dishes. The study found that the Pastel de Nata, Portugal’s iconic custard tart, is one of the most difficult dishes to recreate, requiring 14 ingredients and over 145 minutes of preparation.

This ranking reflects a broader trend of European cuisines dominating the list of the most challenging to master. Greece placed third with a score of 60.02, France in seventh with 55.28, and Spain fourteenth with 50.31, reinforcing the Mediterranean’s reputation for sophisticated cooking methods.

Ben Briggs, Head of Marketing at CV Villas, commented that “food is central to the holiday experience, which is why we conducted this research to highlight the diversity and complexity of cuisines worldwide. For European travellers, it’s particularly fascinating to see how our neighbours in Portugal, Greece, and France have shaped culinary traditions that are equal parts inspiring and challenging to replicate”.