Chef Vaz Filipe

Chef At Home in Alvor

Greetings,

My name is Chef Filipe Vaz, proudly born in Portugal and deeply connected to my gastronomic heritage. At the age of 17, I moved to New York City to study at one of the world’s most prestigious culinary schools, driven by the ambition to always reach the very top of this extraordinary industry.

With over 20 years of international experience, I have had the privilege of working at the highest level across New York, Spain, Japan, Belgium, Malta, and Austria. Along this journey, I trained and collaborated with some of the most renowned names in gastronomy, including Chef Thomas Keller (Per Se), Chef Martín Berasategui, the Roca Brothers (El Celler de Can Roca), Chef Rui Paula (Casa de Chá da Boa Nova), and Chef Peter Goossens (Hof Van Cleve, La Rigue).

After the pandemic, I chose to dedicate myself more fully to the private dining experience, creating unique and intimate moments where every detail matters. This path has allowed me to connect more closely with guests, tailoring each dish to their taste and essence, while ensuring balance, sophistication, and unforgettable memories. I’ve had the honor of cooking for professional athletes, celebrated artists, and also consulting restaurants worldwide.

Today, I am based in the Algarve, combining family life with my passion for delivering exceptional culinary journeys. My commitment remains unchanged: to be the very best in everything I do.

I invite you to reach out for exclusive private chef services anywhere in Portugal.

Trust me—I promise to craft a once-in-a-lifetime experience you will cherish forever.

Sincerely,

Chef Filipe Vaz

For me, cooking is...

Cooking is my life, art and passion..... Cooking is one of the biggest acts of love you can give someone.

I learned to cook at...

Institute of culinary education ( NYC, United States of America) Escuela Luiz Irizar (Donostia, Spain)

A cooking secret...

My secret in kitchen is to respect the quality of the products and let them shine.

My menus

Autumn-Winter 2025 Vegetarian essences

STARTER

All inclusive

Bread Selection

Azores butter with vulcanic salt

Farmer olive oil tibornada

Serra da estrela DOP cheese

Beetroot and berries tartare with Sao Jorge cheese

Sundried tomato and almonds pesto

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Gratin sugar drop tomatoes with togarashi, feta and pistachio

Caramelised persimmons with local goat cheese

Curry hummus with sweet potato chips

Vegetable empanadas

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Winter Pasta – A creamy stew of autumn vegetables, enriched with Azorean cheese and finished with the delicate crunch of toasted Algarvian almonds

Butternut Squash with Goat Cheese and Fresh Thyme – Roasted to bring out its natural sweetness, paired with the tang of goat cheese and the fragrant touch of fresh thyme for a perfect balance of comfort and elegance

Bean Stew with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Thyme – A hearty blend of tender beans and earthy wild mushrooms, gently simmered with fresh thyme to capture the essence and depth of the season

Pumpkin, Nuts and Goat Cheese Risotto – Creamy Arborio rice infused with sweet pumpkin, enriched by the tang of goat cheese and the crunch of toasted nuts for a perfect autumn harmony

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Portuguese rice pudding

Salted caramel tiramisu

Caramelized quince and vanilla ice cream

Salted caramel and chocolate mousse cake with madagascar vanilla ice cream

Portuguese Tapas Experience

STARTER

All inclusive

Bread Selection

Azores butter

Sundried and almonds pate

Extra virgin Olive oil with Fleur de sel

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Razor clams in white wine and Iberian pig chorizo

Eggs and farinheira sausage

Rock crab and brioche

Bellota charcuterie selection

Portuguese cheese selection

Croquetas selection

Shrimp in garlic sauce

Alvor Clams Bolhão de pato

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Pan seared premium beef

Bean rice

Green asparagus

Sugar drop tomato salad

DESSERT

All inclusive

Portuguese rice pudding

Salted caramel and chocolate mousse cake with madagascar vanilla ice cream

Salted caramel mille feuilles

Flavours of Portugal

STARTER

All inclusive

Bread Selection

Seasoned Olives

Azores butter

Serra da estrela DOP cheese

Bellota charcuterie selection

Gratin sugar drop tomatoes with togarashi, local cheese and pistachio

Iberian charcuterie and Sao Jorge cheese stuffed bread

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Caramelized persimmons with local goat cheese and season berries

Shrimp in garlic sauce

Beef carpaccio, wild arugula, pesto and Sao Jorge cheese and chestnuts

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Season vegetables and romesco gratin with pistachio

Pan seared Chicken tights with chilli and lime sauce with mashed sweet potato and vegetables

Iberian pork tenderloin with beans and chestnuts rice and romesco sauce

Pan seared premium beef with oven baked potatoes and season vegetables

Braised wild sea bream with season vegetables and young potato

Pan seared wild sea bass with season vegetables

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Salted caramel mille feuilles

Salted caramel and chocolate mousse cake with madagascar vanilla ice cream

Portuguese rice pudding

Tradicional sheep fresh milk cheese with home made pumpkin and nuts jam

Contemporary Roots

STARTER

All inclusive

Bread Selection

Azores butter

Sundried tomato and almonds pate

Extra virgin Olive oil with Fleur de sel

Serra da estrela DOP cheese

Belota charcuterie selection

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Caramelized persimmons with local goat cheese and season berries

Carabineiro Prawn with his own juices

Razor clams in white wine and Iberian pig chorizo

Rock crab and brioche

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Wild sea bream in papillote with braised season vegetables

Pan seared wild sea bass with season vegetables

Octopus in rice

Iberian pork cheeks braised in port wine with mashed potatoes and braised vegetables

Oven baked farm chicken with oven roasted potatoes and vegetables

Pan seared premium beef, garlic and olive oil, oven baked punched potatoes and season vegetables

DESSERT

All inclusive

Portuguese rice pudding

Salted caramel mille feuilles

Salted caramel and chocolate mousse cake with madagascar vanilla ice cream

Seasonal Menu — Autumn·Winter 2025–2026

STARTER

All inclusive

Bread selection

Azores butter

Tomato and nuts paste

Iberian pork charcuterie selection

Portuguese cheese selection

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Caramelized persimmons with local goat cheese and season berries

Wild mushrooms selection and quince with Iberian pig chorizo and Sao Jorge cheese

Scrambled eggs and farinheira sausage

Mozambique wild prawns in garlic sauce

Stuffed cornbread

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Iberian pork cheeks slow cooked in port wine and served over pure and season vegetables

Wild mushrooms and beans stew with garlic rice

Oven baked wild sea bream with season vegetables

Octopus in Rice

Bras style Cod fish

Oven Roasted farm chicken with oven roasted potatoes and season vegetables

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Caramelized quince and vanilla ice cream

Portuguese rice puding

Salted caramel mousse (Typical Portuguese Baba de camelo)

Salted caramel tiramisu

Summer Mediterranean Fusions

STARTER

All inclusive

Mini Bruschettas

Seasoned olive selection

Fresh baked bread

Azores butter with vulcanic salt

Farmer olive oil tibornada

Grilled haloumi cheese with honey, pistachio and olive oil

FIRST COURSE

Choose 3 dishes

Watermelon and Fetta

Game meat croquetas with dijon alioli

Mozambique wild prawns with fleur de sel

Tuna Tataki over mango, avocado and fresh chilli

Caramelized peaches with bellota jamon

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Piri piri chicken, wedges and salad

Pan seared catch of the day with fresh mint and lentils salad

Oven baked octopus with Portuguese potatos and shallots

Iberian Pork wagyu, avocado and mango puré and fresh chilli sauce

Pan seared premium beef, oven roasted potatos and vegetables

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Home made lemon ice cream with honey, fresh basil and pistachio

White chocolate and red berries

Fresh strawberries and Cream

Salted caramel and chocolate mousse cake with home made ice cream

Autumn-Winter BBQ 2025-2026

STARTER

All inclusive

Bread Selection

Azores butter

Olives with olive oil and fresh herbs

Sundried tomato and nuts pate

Portuguese cheese selection

Iberian pork charcuterie selection

Stuffed cornbread with Iberian pig charcuterie and local cheese

Beetroot and feta cheese

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Garlic bread

Grilled tiger prawns with persimmon with citric butter and almonds

Grilled mushrooms with fleur de sel and extra virgin olive oil

Sugardrop tomato and basil salad

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Ocean

Iberian Pork

Beef

Chicken selection

All the selections come with respective side dishes, depending on the selection, side dishes may vary allways considering the best pairing and freshness

It's possible to select a mix of different main proteins

DESSERT

All inclusive

Autumn-Winter Ocean Flavours 2025-2026

STARTER

All inclusive

Bread Selection

Olives with olive oil and fresh herbs

Azores butter with vulcanic salt

Jamon de bellota 24 months

Rock crab pate

Sundried tomato and almonds pesto

Serra da estrela DOP cheese

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Mozambique wild prawns in garlic sauce

Algarve white shrimp with salt petal

Alvor Boa clams in white wine, butter and cilantro sauce

Razor clams in white wine and Iberian pig chorizo

MAIN COURSE

Choose 2 dishes

Monk fish and prawns rice

Oven baked octopus with oven baked potatoes with shallots and season vegetables

Confit Cod loin with white bean pure and season vegetables

Seafood in rice

Bras style Cod fish ( One of the best Portuguese recipes, cod involved with the sweetness of caramelised onions, the creamieness of eggs and the crunch of crispy potato juliene)

Braised wild sea bream with season vegetables and young potato

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Salted caramel and chocolate mousse cake with madagascar vanilla ice cream

Portuguese rice pudding

Caramelized quince and vanilla ice cream

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Chef Vaz's reviews

4.87

•

198 services

We had an incredible experience with Chef Vaz. The entire meal was outstanding—beautifully prepared, full of flavor, and made with a lot of care and skill. He was very friendly, and extremely professional from start to finish. His wine recommendations were spot-on and really elevated the meal. He was also very accommodating of different dietary needs in our group, which made the evening seamless for everyone. Overall, it was a memorable experience, and we would absolutely book him again. Highly recommend!

Chef Vaz was amazing! We hired his services as an anniversary gift for our parents and he made it the best experience for them. The service, setup, courses, cleanup everything was perfect and he made it a night they wont forget. Cannot recommend him enough! You wont regret placing your trust in his expertise

We had a great experience with Chef Vaz. His dishes were well thought out, exceptionally prepared and very tasty!

The food was amazing! And the chef ever so nice! We are totally satisfied.

Wow what an amazing dinner Chef Vaz made for us. We are 8 friends coming together for a special dinner and Chef Vaz did not disappoint. Every course was perfect and his explanation of each course was detailed. Everyone enjoyed their meal and we all commented on how the flavours worked well together and how everything was so well presented. He was also very polite and respectful. Would definitely recommend Chef Vaz.

Felipe war unglaublich! Von erster Nachricht bis zur Umsetzung war alles perfekt. Er war darüberhinaus auch der einzige Koch, der von Anfang an die genaue Beschreibung meiner Anfrage gelesen und ein wirklich individuelles Angebot hinterlassen hat. In der Kommunikation ist Felipe konkret, verbindlich, professionell, diskret und dabei aber immer noch fast freundschaftlich nah ohne Distanz zu überschreiten. Das alles schreibe ich, ohne hier zu dick auftragen zu wollen. Absolute Weiterempfehlung!!

We had the absolute pleasure of having Chef Felipe cook for our family while on vacation, and it was one of the highlights of our entire trip. From the moment he arrived, he brought warmth, professionalism, and a deep passion for food that was contagious. Chef Felipe prepared an incredible spread of local dishes, each one more delicious than the last. What made the experience even more special was how he shared the history and cultural significance behind each dish—it felt like a culinary tour of the region right from our own dining table. He was also amazing with our daughter, letting her “help” with the cooking and making her feel included in the experience. It was a small gesture that meant a lot and made the night even more memorable for our whole family. To top it all off, Felipe recommended perfect wine pairings to go with each course, elevating the meal to another level. By the end of the evening, we all said the same thing: we wish we could have him cook for us every night. Thank you, Chef Felipe, for an unforgettable evening of food, stories, and connection. We’ll be dreaming about your cooking for a long time!

It was a wonderful, uncomplicated experience. The food was amazing. Everything we could have hoped for.

It was a ln amazing evening, we loved it! The chef, food and service was incredible. Thank you very much!

Filipe made our holiday. We had an incredible meal. From the stories behind the food, his presentation and ultimately the flavours. We were given such a treat. Quality of ingredients shone through. Next time I’ll ask for a wine list to match the food! Thank you Filipe!

Chef Vaz and Angela were absolutely fantastic. Amazing food and service. Flavours and ingredients were great, the ceviche, prawns, game croquettes, salads - tbh all just incredible thank you for a great finish to a wonderful 40th birthday meal

We had wonderful experience with Chef Vaz! He is very professional and easy to work with. My family got to try fantastic dishes from the local area and everything tasted delicious. The Chef has very good attitude and it was pleasure having him around! Highly recommend Chef Vaz!

Chef Filipe Vaz was awesome - the food was on another level, fresh and great quality produce cooked and presented really well. Was a great experience for our family holiday and I’d thoroughly recommend.

Chef Filipe was amazing. One of the best meals I have had in my life. He also was very friendly and cleaned up everything.

I booked this for experience for my mums 60th and from start to finish it was exceptional. Firstly to get the menu right was so easy, Vaz helped us design the perfect menu my mum would like. The night itself was way better than I could have even imagined. Vaz was engaging, funny and made some of the most incredible food we have ever had. Every single item was amazing. Would highly recommend- would pay double what I did.

It was an amazing experience!!! Highly recommendable!!

Filipe was a pleasure to deal with and made accommodations for our slightly fussier guest. The quality of his ingredients and his passion for ethically sourcing locally was evident. His credentials are second to none. We wanted an authentic Portuguese experience and he certainly delivered that. He’s engaging and easy to deal with but is in the background, allowing you to just enjoy your night. Clean up was perfect too. We would have no hesitation in recommending Filipe to anyone and would book him again if back in Portugal.

Chef Felipe Vaz was engaging and pleasant. The food was amazing! Complex flavors. Our group had a hard time deciding which dish was the favorite. Well worth the money. Would ask for Chef Felipe Vaz again!

Recomendo vivamente! De comer e chorar por mais ????

Filipe is an absolute treasure. I would not hesitate to book him for ANY type of meal. We had a tricky set of guests: three children who eat nothing adventurous and three adults who wanted to explore all of the flavors! Somehow, Filipe was able to thread the needle and we all left so pleased with the food and more importantly the overall experience. Filipe was more than a chef; he was a guide to the area (offering suggestions for restaurants, shopping, answering any questions we had) and a warm, happy host in our home. Truly you will be so happy if you get to spend time with him! Obrigada!