José Avillez

🇵🇹 Portugal · Portuguese cuisine · b. 1979

The Lisbon chef leading the global revival of Portuguese cuisine.

Biography

José Avillez is a Lisbon-born chef who has done more than any other contemporary Portuguese chef to reposition Portuguese cuisine on the global stage. Trained at Adrià's elBulli, Alain Ducasse's Plaza Athénée and the celebrated Eleven in Lisbon, he opened Belcanto in Lisbon's Chiado district in 2012. Belcanto earned two Michelin stars — currently retained — and consistently appears on World's 50 Best lists.

His restaurant group operates more than a dozen establishments across Lisbon, Porto and Dubai, ranging from the casual Bairro do Avillez (a multi-restaurant complex) to fine-dining Café Lisboa and Cantinho do Avillez. His cooking takes the deeply traditional flavour profiles of Portuguese cuisine — bacalhau in many forms, leitão (suckling pig), pastéis de nata, alheira sausage — and treats them with modernist technique without abandoning their identity.

He is also a prolific TV presenter and cookbook author in Portugal.

Cooking Philosophy

Portuguese cuisine, modernised but unbetrayed. Avillez argues that Portuguese cooking — for centuries undersold internationally as 'just like Spanish but cheaper' — has its own profound identity rooted in Atlantic seafood, Iberian pork traditions and the legacy of the Age of Discoveries (which brought peppers, cinnamon, tomatoes and other now-essential ingredients into the cuisine). His menus celebrate that distinct identity.

Restaurants

Belcanto
Lisbon (Chiado)
Two Michelin stars; modern Portuguese fine dining.
Bairro do Avillez
Lisbon
His multi-restaurant complex including a tavern, a deli and a fine-dining room.
Cantinho do Avillez
Lisbon / Porto / Dubai
Casual Portuguese restaurant chain.

Awards & Recognition

2 Michelin stars (Belcanto)
World's 50 Best Restaurants placements (Belcanto)
Knight of the Order of Infante D. Henrique (Portugal)

Iconic Dishes

Modern bacalhau dishesReimagined leitãoModernist takes on pastel de nataTasting-menu Portuguese cuisine

Cookbooks

Belcanto
A Casa do Avillez

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Signature Recipes Inspired by José

Original recipes we created as homages to José's cooking style and signature dishes. Not direct reproductions of any copyrighted material — these are our interpretations of the traditionsJosé has worked with throughout their career.

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Modern Bacalhau à Brás — José Avillez-Inspired

Salt cod with hand-cut shoestring potatoes, scrambled egg, caramelised onion and black olives — Lisbon's most beloved cod dish, refined.

30m prep · 25m cook · ⭐ 4.8

Recipes in José's Style

These recipes from our database reflect the portuguese cooking tradition that José works in. They are not direct reproductions of José's copyrighted recipes, but traditional dishes inspired by the same culinary heritage.

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Bacalhau à Brás (Portuguese Salt Cod)

30 prep · 20 cook · ⭐ 4.7

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Pastel de Nata – Portuguese Custard Tarts

30 prep · 15 cook · ⭐ 4.9

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Francesinha

20 prep · 40 cook · ⭐ 4.6

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Caldo Verde – Portuguese Kale and Chorizo Soup

15 prep · 35 cook · ⭐ 4.7

Frequently Asked Questions about José Avillez

What is Belcanto?

Belcanto is José Avillez's flagship restaurant in Lisbon's Chiado district. Opened 2012, it earned its first Michelin star in 2012, its second in 2014, and has retained both. It consistently appears in the World's 50 Best Restaurants and is widely regarded as the standard-bearer of modern Portuguese fine dining.