Carlos Teixeira

Chef at Herdade do Esporão* (Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal)

Chef Carlos Teixeira's ongoing commitment to sustainability translates into a modern cuisine based on seasonal ingredients, both from the farm itself and from the Alentejo region.

Carlos Teixeira began his career as a chef at the age of 14 at the Lisbon School of Hotel Management and Tourism and later at the Estoril School of Hotel Management. He worked alongside Henrique Mouro and completed internships at the Hotel Claris in Barcelona and the Clove Club* in London.

Back in Portugal, he worked at the Herdade do Esporão restaurant, where he spent two years as sous chef and took over the kitchen in 2018. Situated on a large wine estate surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and even a reservoir, the restaurant also has its own vegetable garden, which provides most of its ingredients, most of which are organic.

Sustainability is one of the maxims of his cuisine, and for this reason Teixeira visited Nolla (Finland), a world reference in zero waste, and the following year Blue Hill at Stone Barns (USA), recognised worldwide for its ecological and low-waste practices, to apply what he had learnt in his restaurant. His cuisine, based on seasonality, respect for the product and nature, and zero waste, earned him the Michelin Green Star in 2021.