First of all, thank you very much for finding the time for this conversation. Over this talk, I was hoping to learn more about what shaped you technically as a chef — having worked through quite demanding kitchens in New York, London, and now back in Lisbon — and also how you balance the inheritance of CURA with your own authorship. CURA already has a very strong identity, and under your leadership the restaurant retained its Michelin star in both 2025 and 2026, while also appearing on the 50 Best Discovery list and La Liste in 2026. So maybe we can start from the beginning — where your career started, and how it evolved over time.

Back in the day, I actually went to law school. Then, just out of circumstances, I started working and studying in kitchens, and I just fell in love with what we do. I think it takes time to find exactly what we are aiming to do in our kitchens. Nevertheless, with our teams, we just get things done, and it’s very important to be as united as possible so we can stay on the right path and move forward as a restaurant. The main thing was the love for the kitchen. I’m not going to call it stress, although there is some, but especially the aim to thrive, to become better, to constantly evolve. It’s quite technical — there’s a lot of science involved, so a lot of study goes into it. But at the same time, we have to keep the passion alive throughout the days.

It always starts with the producers. That’s the main guideline for what we do. We speak with them, and they let us know what’s available and when, and from there we begin visualizing what we can do. Seasonality is the main focus, and Portugal is the key to what we do. We’re not strictly a Portuguese restaurant, nevertheless there is a strong Portuguese identity through the flavours and especially through the products. Season guides the menu. Sometimes we have to be creative, adapt, adjust. We like to cook with a lot of passion and emotion. A little bit of nostalgia goes a long way in our menu because it allows people to get to know us as well. It’s not just dinner — we have to create an experience. Sometimes giving a little bit of ourselves is what creates the biggest impact.

Yes. Usually throughout the menu we follow certain guidelines. We have Portuguese recipes that have existed forever. Everyone in my family cooks quite well, so that’s one of the foundations. Then we think about the products and what the producers can bring us, and we start considering how to highlight and enhance them. Sometimes we’re not directly thinking about a specific recipe, but once we taste something, we realise: this reminds me of what I had somewhere, at some point in life. We try to transport people somewhere without actually travelling.

Yes, we’re always trying to be inventive and innovative. That’s one of the main focuses. We have to stay ahead. We also have the responsibility, as chefs and cooks, to help shape what comes next for Portuguese cuisine in general — not just for CURA. We have the stage to shape what the future of Portuguese cooking can become. Trying to find the right angles is interesting and fun, and I think we have a very strong generation capable of doing it.

We never fully know. But the respect for the product is there — it always has been. We’ve always been very aware of what we have in Portugal. At the same time, there are new techniques, new formats, new ways of embracing change that can help people enjoy restaurants differently. Sometimes people arrive with a certain cautiousness, but then they realise: this is food, this is fun, and we are cooks — we want to cook. I wouldn’t call what we do traditional Portuguese cuisine, because we don’t follow grandmother’s recipes exactly. That’s always tricky. But within the menu — which has around fourteen moments and lasts two and a half to three hours — you will absolutely find references to tradition and recipes people recognise. There’s just a lot more interpretation around them.

It has to be both. The analysis is necessary because although this is our passion, it’s also our profession. When we begin creating new dishes, we have to understand what fits together. There are guidelines I set for myself and for the team. But once we start tasting, the emotional side becomes very important. There’s the balance between what makes sense on paper and what actually works emotionally on the plate.

It depends. We have a dessert right now that probably took us two or three months to develop. We knew immediately what we wanted conceptually — Portuguese flavours from the south, honey, orange — but putting it together and making it truly delicious took time. Other times, a dish appears in a single day. We think about it, try it once, and it’s there.

I’m not sure I’m chasing one flavour specifically. But there are very few dishes that have made me cry. Goosebumps happen often because I’m very passionate about food, but crying is different — that usually comes from nostalgia and emotion. That’s what we’re really sharing as chefs and cooks: not just food, but part of ourselves. When that emotional reaction happens, it’s very powerful. Technically, I struggle sometimes with bitterness. But I think I work with it quite well because I like balance.

Yes. Technique is expected. We have to deliver that. But emotion is what makes the difference. We want people to remember the experience, and emotions are what create memory.

Portuguese cuisine is incredible, first of all. But it’s also very different from north to south. I think one misconception is that it’s always heavy food. I don’t think it’s actually that heavy — we just like to eat a lot in Portugal. Our biggest strength is definitely seafood and shellfish. Portugal has amazing fish, partly because of the cold waters. At the same time, some traditional ways of cooking proteins can feel heavier or drier. Tradition tells us to cook certain things longer, but now we have amazing producers and products that allow us to approach them differently. For example, when I cook pork at home, my mother still tells me it’s undercooked.

Exactly.

That’s difficult. I enjoy every day of what we do. Achievements belong to the team, not to me individually. Of course, the Michelin star is very important. Last year was a very good year for us — we retained the star, entered La Liste and 50 Best Discovery — but those moments come from years of work, not only from the last season. What became more important recently was understanding myself better as a chef, understanding what CURA is as a team, and understanding what we want to put on the plate today. Sometimes the most meaningful moment is simply a Friday night service when the dining room is full, the energy is good, and guests are genuinely enjoying themselves. Those are the rewards you remember every day.

At the end of the day, it’s still a work environment, and we have to work. Sometimes I’m still cooking, and other days I’m behind spreadsheets and calculations, which is more difficult for me. But I think a smile goes a long way. Those clichés actually matter. The important thing is making everyone feel we are pushing together toward the same goal. When the restaurant is full and the energy changes, everyone feels it. That creates motivation naturally.

For us, the main idea is curatorship itself. CURA has many meanings, but right now we focus on the experience at the table. We want people to feel that we genuinely want them here. We want to take care of them, share what we do, and create something personalised. Portugal is still the central element of the experience, but beyond that, we want to adapt and go the extra mile so people leave with a memory, not just a dinner.

My ambition is quite high, I won’t sugarcoat it. But more than personally, I think collectively, as Portuguese chefs, we are shaping something new. Kitchens used to be defined by pressure and aggressiveness, and although that existed, there’s another side that matters too: care, fun, excitement, and passion for the work. I would like to help shape a generation of people who are excited to come to work, who can thrive under pressure without losing the joy of cooking.

I love going out to eat and having experiences. Sometimes it’s dinner, sometimes it’s the experience itself — they can be different things. I do enjoy it, but I’m always extremely attentive because I’m constantly trying to improve. So even while enjoying myself, I’m studying in a way. A good glass of wine helps me relax a little more.

Discipline goes a very long way. Creativity is obviously essential too, but I wouldn’t call it fifty-fifty. During the day there are always crazy ideas flying around — “what if we did this with this?” — and part of the team thinks I’m crazy while the other half wants to try it immediately. But once service starts, everything changes. The focus shifts completely toward the guest and the experience. During service, discipline is everything. The rest of the day is where creativity can really happen.

Sometimes I eat cereal. But whenever I can, I still want to cook. For friends, for everyone. One of my friends recently reminded me about his birthday dinner when I decided to make something like seventy different tacos. I still love cooking that much. I haven’t lost that feeling yet, and hopefully I won’t. That’s the emotional side of it — the fun of cooking itself.