Three chefs in the Algarve awarded
Thirteen chefs in Portugal – including three in the Algarve – brought home accolades from the 2024 edition of the Best Chef Awards, held since 2017 to celebrate the world’s most innovative and talented chefs.
Initially, the awards featured a top 100 ranking of the world’s best chefs, based on votes from industry professionals, food critics, and the public. In 2024, however, the format shifted to a tiered system, awarding chefs with 1 Knife, 2 Knives, or 3 Knives, with 3 Knives being the highest accolade.
In Portugal, only two chefs received the coveted 3 Knives: José Avillez, from Lisbon’s prestigious Belcanto restaurant, and Hans Neuner, from the Algarve’s prized Ocean restaurant in Porches.
In the 2 Knives category, five Portuguese chefs stood out, including Henrique Sá Pessoa (Alma, Lisbon) and Algarve-based João Oliveira (Vista, Portimão). Other honourees include Ricardo Costa (The Yeatman, Gaia), Pedro Pena Bastos (Cura, Lisbon), and Vasco Coelho Santos (Euskalduna Studio, Porto).
Lastly, three chefs in Portugal received the 1 Knife accolade, including the Algarve’s Dieter Koschina (Vila Joya, Albufeira) joined peers like Carlos Teixeira (Esporão, Herdade do Esporão) and Marlene Vieira (Marlene, Lisbon).
The awards recognised a total of 550 chefs from over 60 countries, with Denmark’s Rasmus Munk (Alchemist) topping the ranking, followed by Spain’s Albert Adrià and Denmark’s Eric Vildgaard.
