Rodolfo Lavrador

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2022
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Current

Employment History

• Oficio, Lisbon; Bairro Alto Hotel, Lisbon; Mãos, London; Agern, New York

Education

• Grand Diploma, Culinary Arts, International Culinary Center, New York; Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon

Birthplace

• Lisbon, Portugal

Languages Spoken

• Portuguese, English, Spanish, a bit of French

“Traditional Portuguese is very distinguished, with scents and flavours that everyone knows,” says Rodolfo Lavrador, admiringly, of the cuisine he grew up with and is now taking to new places as Sous Chef of CURA, the signature dining experience of Four Seasons Hotel Lisbon. “We’re capturing the essence of our cuisine in a new way, a better way, a different way, using new ingredients and skills to showcase familiar flavours. That’s where the magic happens.”

Lavrador oversees day-to-day operations in the back of the house at CURA, which debuted in 2019 with an original concept by Chef de Cuisine Pedro Pena Bastos, whose success with local products, simple preparations, and small restaurants in Lisbon saw him recognized as a “New Revelation Chef” by a prominent restaurant blog.

Things are similarly straightforward at CURA, something Lavrador categorizes as “a positive” for a chef. “Nowadays with the climate situation, we’re emphasizing sustainability through parameters on what we use and how we use it. It’s important for us to respect the ingredients and minimize the steps to achieve an amazing experience.”

Lavrador is deeply involved in securing ingredients – “even on my days off, I’m not off” – ensuring that the kitchen has all it needs while maintaining good relationships with local suppliers. “It’s like symbiosis,” he says, noting the rewards of seeing small farmers aspire to work with CURA and the restaurant showcasing their products. The same goes for seafood: “Our fishmongers go out of their way to get us the best and the freshest.”

There is a team of nearly a dozen in the kitchen with Lavrador, who endeavours to be open-minded in leadership, always ready to show his way but interested in other ways, too. “Hands-on is good as long as you don’t overdo it,” he says, characterizing himself as “a fan of communication: I give as much space as possible while still being present.”

He also works closely with Bastos, offering creative input on the menu, as his demanding schedule allows. “Some days we can just focus on new dishes and ideas,” he says. “Those days are great.” Other days offer flashes of inspiration, such as for a palate-cleanser of strawberries and Champagne foam he devised with Bastos after service ended late one night at 1am. “It’s always gratifying to see things you’ve dreamt up come to life.”

Lavrador’s culinary career came to life gradually. The son of a lawyer from a family deep in the legal profession, he got interested in cooking while living in Madrid during his teens, but attended law school and interned at a law firm in Lisbon first.

Later, Lavrador relocated to New York City to study at an international culinary academy and landed his first job at a Michelin-starred Scandinavian restaurant in Grand Central Terminal. After another stop at an unconventional Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant in London’s East End, he returned to Lisbon to work first at a hotel, then as head chef at a contemporary Portuguese dining spot in the heart of the city.

Elapsed time for all of the above? Just five years.

“I know, I don’t really have a lot of restaurant experience,” he admits with a laugh, adding that the short span of his culinary career is actually a plus. “I don’t think years count as much in this business as what you give to the places you work and the people you work with. It’s not the time you spend as a professional, but how you spend it.”