Michelin-starred Portuguese chef Louis Anjos has been appointed head of gastronomy at Verdelago Resort in Praia Verde, Castro Marim.
Widely regarded as “one of the most consistent chefs of his generation”, Louis Anjos brings a strong Michelin pedigree to the eastern Algarve resort. He was part of the team at Carvoeiro’s Bon Bon, helping retain its Michelin star for three years, before opening Al Sud, where he earned his own Michelin star just six months after launch — a distinction he went on to maintain, the resort points out in a statement to the press.
His appointment to the new position signals a shift to place gastronomy at the heart of the resort experience, with the development of a “coherent, sustainable gastronomic identity which is profoundly linked” to the local community. As the resort explains the goal is to offer something that is more than a fine-dining concept but a core element across the entire project, rooted in local and seasonal produce and sustainability.
Born in Minde, in central Portugal, Anjos trained at the Fátima Hotel School and began his career in 2000. He has worked at several high-profile resorts, including Vila Vita Parc, Vila Lara, Suites Alba and Macdonald Monchique Resort & Spa, where he served as executive chef. In 2012, he won the prestigious Chef of the Year competition.
“I accepted this challenge because Verdelago has clear ambition and rare potential in the national landscape,” Anjos said. “The goal is to build a strong, consistent gastronomic offer in the short and long-term with its own identity and superior quality and consistence, capable of becoming one of the main reasons guests choose the resort.”
The project also gives the chef a chance to pursue new goals. “Fine dining is a passion of mine, but the true challenge is in creating strong, coherent and lasting projects, with personality and a capacity to evolve over time. Verdelago has all the conditions to do this,” the chef added.
The resort believes the appointment will also benefit the wider Castro Marim municipality, boosting the local economy, supporting regional producers and reinforcing the culinary identity of eastern Algarve.
By securing a chef of Louis Anjos’ calibre, Verdelago believes it is betting on gastronomy as a long-term differentiator — one designed to add lasting value for guests, investors and the region alike.
