Maxime Luvara
Executive Chef
Four Seasons Tenure
- Since 2023
- First Four Seasons Assignment: current
Employment History
- Badrutt's Palace Hotel, Switzerland; InterContinental, Hong Kong; Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai; One&Only Le Saint Géran Hotel, Mauritius; One&Only Le Touessrok Hotel, Mauritius; Spoon des Iles, Mauritius; Le Louis XV, Monaco; Le Buerehiesel, France; Troisgros, France
Birthplace
- Calabria, Italy
Languages Spoken
- French, English, Italian
For Maxime Luvara, cooking has always been a part of his life. His path to becoming a chef was a natural one, which started when he was a child, helping his mother and sisters in the kitchen as they hosted friends and family at their house on Sundays. Born in Calabria in southern Italy and raised in the French Riviera, Luvara harnesses the best of both worlds of the two culinary meccas, with an appreciation for simplicity and fresh, seasonal ingredients combined with a respect for techniques, tradition and innovation.
After completing hotel school in Nice, France, one of Luvara’s teachers introduced him to French culinary luminary Jacques Maximin. He worked as a commis chef in Maximin’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Nice. “It was a challenging experience and a brutal shock from school to French fine dining, but I learned a lot,” admits Luvara. Despite the long and irregular hours, Luvara had been fuelled by his unwavering passion for the culinary arts. “We become chefs by passion – the passion for creating experiences that, in return, make people happy and put smiles on their faces, no matter the time it takes to achieve this goal.”
Alain Ducasse, one of the world’s most decorated chefs, is another huge influence in Luvara’s culinary career. As Ducasse’s protégé, Luvara honed his craft at the maestro’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Louis XV in Monaco, and was eventually entrusted to run Le Spoon des Iles at the One & Only Le Saint Géran in Mauritius. He was only 29 at the time. In hindsight, he was surprised by how he managed all the stress at that age, but his hard work paid off. “In 2002 when the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list was first published, we were placed fifth! It was a fairytale moment for me.”
It was there where he gradually moved from being a front-line chef to taking on an executive role with more administrative tasks. “It was, for sure, a challenging exercise, but it depends on how you manage your day,” says Luvara. “There is time for paperwork and time for creating, tasting and sharing knowledge with the team. You need to be a good communicator, open-minded and flexible. Being hands-on and leading by example are essential in gaining respect, attracting talent and sustaining a strong team.”
An inspiring leader who believes in his team, Luvara finds many aspects of being an executive chef highly rewarding. “I like working on new projects, creating new restaurants, and having the freedom to build kitchen teams that help you achieve great results.”
Following his stint in Mauritius, he had worked in many other restaurants and kitchens in some of the most luxurious hotels across the globe, such as Burj Al Arab in Dubai, InterContinental Hong Kong (now Regent Hong Kong) and most recently, Badrutt's Palace hotel in Switzerland.
Now returning to Hong Kong for the second time, Luvara looks forward to reconnecting with his friends, ex-colleagues, and other chefs, and being part of a dynamic dining scene that is even more exciting and diverse than before. To him, the vibrant city of Hong Kong will always remain an exciting platform for discerning food lovers.
With his appointment as Executive Chef at Four Seasons Hong Kong in February 2023, he brings with him more than 30 years of experience in mastering the art of classical and contemporary French, Mediterranean and fusion cuisines acquired at an impressive portfolio of Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels around the world.
As a seasoned luxury hotel executive chef, Luvara is eager to share his knowledge and expertise with Four Seasons Hong Kong’s well-established food and beverage operation.
When he’s not working, Luvara enjoys running, skiing, playing tennis, squash and volleyball, painting, and spending time with his family.
