At present, José Avillez Group has several restaurants in Lisbon and in Porto: Belcanto – distinguished with two Michelin stars and elected one of the best 100 restaurants in the world in the prestigious “The World's 50 Best Restaurants List” –, Beco - Cabaret Gourmet, Mini Bar (in Lisbon and in Porto), Bairro do Avillez (that includes different concepts: Taberna, Páteo, Beco and Cantina Peruana), Cantinho do Avillez, both in Lisbon (in Chiado and Parque das Nações) and in Porto, Café Lisboa, Pizzaria Lisboa, Pitaria, Cantina Zé Avillez and the three restaurants located in El Corte Inglés' Gourmet Experience - Tasca Chic, Jacaré and Barra Cascabel. All of them offer different culinary experiences, expressing my different approaches to food.
Cooking has always been my passion, but I only decided to become a professional chef in the senior year of my Business Communication degree. In that same year, I took individual study sessions with Maria de Lurdes Modesto and entered a traineeship in the kitchen of Antoine Westerman, at Fortaleza do Guincho restaurant. Afterwards, I made several trips and devoted myself to training courses, traineeships and professional experiences. I worked with José Bento dos Santos at Quinta do Monte D’Oiro, in Alain Ducasse's school, and also trained in Eric Frechon's kitchen, at Le Bristol hotel, which has three Michelin stars. My traineeship at El Bulli, with Ferran Adrià, was what really changed my career. Back in Lisbon, in 2008 I was invited to the post of Head Chef of a renowned restaurant. In 2009 I was awarded my first Michelin star and the rest is history.
