Despite the challenges of the pandemic, José Avillez remains the owner of a considerable number of successful venues throughout Portugal and a location in Macau, China. However, the jewel in the crown remains "Belcanto," awarded Two MICHELIN Stars since 2014.
José Avillez, born in 1979, initially studied in a field far from gastronomy, but was unequivocally drawn to it: he graduated in Business Communication with a thesis on the image and identity of Portuguese gastronomy, which is now the focus of all his chef and entrepreneurial activities.
His professional debut was at the “Fortaleza do Guincho” restaurant in Cascais, followed by an experience with José Bento dos Santos at “Quinta do Monte d'Oiro”. Later, he did internships in France, first with Alain Ducasse and then with Éric Fréchon at the “Hotel Bristol” restaurant in Paris, where he was named Chef of the Future by the International Academy of Gastronomy in 2005. The following year, he moved to Spain to learn from the great Ferran Adrià at “ElBulli”. From 2008 to 2011, he was the executive chef at “Restaurante Tavares” before beginning his entrepreneurial journey.
In 2011, he opened his first restaurant, “Cantinho do Avillez”, in Chiado, Lisbon, but it was the beginning of 2012 that marked a turning point. José Avillez opened “Belcanto,” which was awarded a MICHELIN Star in its first year, followed by a second in 2014. That same year, the prestigious gastronomic blog Mesa Marcada announced José as Chef of the Year 2013 and “Belcanto” as Restaurant of the Year. In 2015, “Belcanto” was named Gastronomic Restaurant of the Year by Wine magazine, and José Chef of the Year, a title he again won at the Boa Mesa awards in 2018. In 2019, Belcanto was included in the list of The World's 100 Best Restaurants and then entered the 50 Best list in 2021.
Currently, José has several restaurants in Portugal - in Lisbon, Porto, and Cascais - and in Macau; each of them has its own concept, but all express his passion for cooking. In 2020, due to the effects of the pandemic, José was forced to reorganize his activities, closing some venues to focus on others. In 2023, together with his wife Sofia Ulrich, he opened “Casa Nossa – The Lake Farmhouse,” a unique estate in Alentejo, on the edge of Alqueva, very comfortable and with total privacy and breathtaking views.
José Avillez is also an author, with books including “Um Chef em Sua Casa” (a bestseller in 2006), “Cantinho do Avillez – The Recipes,” and “Combinações ImProváveis,” which collects the recipes presented in the eponymous television program. José is also a presenter and judge of television and radio programs.
Photo Cedits: @NunoCorreia
