Private Chef

Perfect for Every Occasion

A private chef experience transforms ordinary meals into memorable occasions.

Our guests regularly book private chefs for:

• Family holidays

• Birthday celebrations

• Anniversaries

• Honeymoons

• Wedding weekends

• Bachelor and bachelorette parties

• Corporate retreats

• Executive dinners

• Luxury villa stays

• Multi-generational family gatherings

Unlike traditional restaurants, every experience is entirely customised around your group, allowing everyone to relax while the chef takes care of shopping, preparation, cooking, presentation, and final kitchen cleaning.

Concierge Booking Process

Once the preferred experience has been confirmed, Bellhop will pass all the information and details needed to the Private Chef. In order to secure the service, clients must pay 50% of the service value for booking confirmation and the rest must be paid before the service begin. The payments are made directly to Chef’s team.

Chef Márcio Silva

Chef Márcio Silva brings together technical precision and authentic Portuguese flavours in every dining experience.

After beginning his professional journey in the Portuguese Navy, where discipline and organisation became fundamental to his work, Márcio refined his culinary skills in some of Lisbon's most respected kitchens. His experience includes restaurants such as Rabo d'Pêxe, working alongside Chef Paulo Morais, followed by Optimista, Lés-a-Lés, and eventually Copo Largo, where he embraced the art of traditional Portuguese tavern cuisine.

His cooking celebrates comfort, generosity, and genuine Portuguese flavours while maintaining the technical standards expected from contemporary fine dining. Guests appreciate his approachable style, meticulous attention to detail, and ability to create relaxed yet sophisticated dining experiences.

Together, Chef Filipe Ramalho and Chef Márcio Silva represent Bellhop's commitment to offering guests authentic Portuguese gastronomy delivered with professionalism, creativity, and genuine hospitality.

Meet Our Chefs

Chef Filipe Ramalho

Originally from Reguengos de Monsaraz in Portugal's Alentejo region, Chef Filipe Ramalho has built his culinary identity around authentic Portuguese cuisine, seasonal ingredients, and the traditions that shaped his childhood.

His career has made him one of the most respected names in Lisbon's contemporary Portuguese gastronomy. As co-founder of the acclaimed restaurants Sal Grosso and Salmoura, he helped redefine Portuguese sharing cuisine by combining traditional recipes with a refined modern approach.

Today, Filipe Ramalho leads several successful hospitality concepts, including Copo Largo, where contemporary Portuguese cuisine takes centre stage, Tasca Abaladica, dedicated to authentic Portuguese tavern food, and Café Vieira by Copo Largo, offering lighter meals inspired by Portugal's culinary heritage.

Every menu reflects his philosophy: respect for tradition while embracing creativity, seasonality, and exceptional local produce. Rather than simply preparing meals, Chef Filipe Ramalho tells stories through food, inviting guests to discover Portugal's gastronomic identity one course at a time.

Essential Menu

From €50 per person (+ VAT)

To Share

• Brioche and croquette

• Beetroot tartare

• Chicken and mushroom rillettes

• Catch of the day crudo with citrus

• Tomato carpaccio with tonnato sauce

Dessert

• Pennyroyal crème brûlée

Wine Pairing

• Selection of mid-range Portuguese wines

The Essential Menu is designed for guests seeking an elegant yet approachable dining experience.

The experience begins with a selection of sharing starters, including brioche and croquettes, beetroot tartare, chicken and mushroom rillettes, fish crudo with citrus, and tomato carpaccio with tonnato.

Dessert features a fragrant mint-infused crème brûlée, perfectly complemented by a selection of quality Portuguese wines, with approximately one bottle shared between every two guests.

This menu offers exceptional value while showcasing the quality and authenticity of Portuguese cuisine.

Selection Menu

From €70 per person (+ VAT)

Starters

• Beef tartare

• Fish crudo with citrus

Main Courses

• Veal cheek with peanuts and sweet potato

• Meagre with cockle rice

Pre-Dessert

• Pumpkin with requeijão cheese mousse

Dessert

• Portuguese-style French toast (Rabanada)

Wine Pairing

• Selection of mid-to-premium Portuguese wines.

The Selection Menu elevates the dining experience through a richer variety of flavours and premium ingredients.

Guests begin with dishes such as beef tartare and fresh fish crudo before enjoying slow-cooked veal cheek with sweet potato and peanut or corvina accompanied by cockle rice.

A refreshing pre-dessert precedes a traditional Portuguese-style French toast dessert, while carefully selected medium to premium Portuguese wines accompany each course.

This menu is particularly suited for celebrations, birthdays, and guests wishing to enjoy a refined yet relaxed fine dining experience.

Signature Menu

From €100 per person (+ VAT)

Starters

• Scallop ceviche

• Prawn with xarém — traditional Portuguese cornmeal

Intermediate Courses

• Beef short rib with corn, lime and coriander

• Roast beef with creamed spinach

Main Courses

• Red snapper with seaweed

• Lamb with mint rice

Dessert

• Chocolate brownie with hazelnut crumble and miso

Wine Pairing

• Selection of premium Portuguese wines

The Signature Menu represents the highest level of Bellhop's private dining experience.

Designed for guests seeking an unforgettable gastronomic journey, it features premium ingredients including scallop ceviche, prawns with traditional xarém, slow-cooked short ribs, roast beef with spinach purée, fresh snapper with seaweed, and mint-infused lamb rice.

The experience concludes with an indulgent chocolate brownie, hazelnut crumble, and miso dessert, paired with premium Portuguese wines selected to complement each course.

Every plate reflects Chef Filipe Ramalho's philosophy of respecting Portuguese culinary traditions while presenting them with contemporary creativity and technical precision.

Family Style Dining

Some of the best memories are created around a shared table.

Family Style Dining combines the comfort of traditional Portuguese hospitality with restaurant-quality cooking, allowing guests to enjoy generous dishes designed for sharing.

This relaxed format is ideal for large family holidays, groups of friends, celebrations, or multi-generational gatherings where conversation and togetherness are just as important as the food itself.

The menu can be adapted to different age groups and dietary preferences, ensuring everyone at the table enjoys an exceptional meal.

Private Barbecue Experience

Take advantage of Lisbon's beautiful weather with a professionally prepared private barbecue.

Perfect for villas, gardens, terraces, and outdoor spaces, this experience combines premium grilled meats, fresh seafood, seasonal vegetables, and Portuguese flavours in a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere.

The chef manages every stage of the barbecue—from preparation and cooking to presentation and cleaning—allowing guests to enjoy the occasion without worrying about logistics.

Whether it's a summer celebration, birthday, family gathering or casual evening with friends, the barbecue experience delivers the perfect combination of comfort, quality, and hospitality.

Portuguese Cooking Workshop

For guests wishing to take home more than memories, the Portuguese Cooking Workshop offers an engaging and interactive culinary experience.

Led by one of our experienced chefs, participants learn traditional Portuguese cooking techniques, discover local ingredients, and prepare authentic recipes under professional guidance.

This hands-on experience is suitable for couples, families, corporate groups, and food enthusiasts looking to better understand Portugal's rich gastronomic heritage.

At the end of the workshop, participants enjoy the meal they have prepared together, creating a memorable experience that combines learning, culture, and exceptional food.

Wine Pairing Experience

Portugal is internationally recognised for producing exceptional wines, and every private dining experience can be enhanced with expertly selected wine pairings.

Guests may choose to include Portuguese wines carefully matched to each menu, creating a harmonious balance between food and wine.

For more exclusive occasions, Bellhop can also arrange premium wine experiences with a dedicated wine specialist or sommelier, providing detailed explanations of Portugal's wine regions, grape varieties, and tasting notes throughout the meal.

This optional addition transforms dinner into a complete gastronomic journey, offering a deeper appreciation of Portugal's extraordinary culinary and wine heritage.

Dietary Requirements & Menu Personalisation

A Menu Designed Around Your Guests

Every private dining experience should be as unique as the people gathered around the table. For this reason, all menus can be adapted to accommodate dietary preferences, allergies, and special nutritional requirements whenever these are communicated during the booking process.

Our chefs believe that every guest deserves the same culinary experience regardless of dietary restrictions. Rather than simply removing ingredients, menus are thoughtfully redesigned to preserve balance, flavour, and presentation.

When requesting your private chef in Lisbon, Bellhop will ask for all relevant dietary information before confirming the booking. This information is then shared directly with the chef, allowing sufficient time to plan and prepare the most appropriate menu.

Adaptations are available for:

• Vegetarian diets

• Vegan diets

• Gluten-free requirements

• Lactose-free diets

• Children's menus

• Pregnancy-safe menus

• Food allergies and intolerances

Whenever possible, every guest enjoys a menu that reflects the same level of creativity and quality as the original proposal.

How the Experience Works

Before the Event

Following your enquiry, Bellhop coordinates the booking and confirms the chef's availability.

Once the concierge booking fee has been paid, the selected chef receives all the necessary information to prepare your experience, including:

• Number of guests

• Selected menu

• Dietary requirements

• Allergies and intolerances

• Accommodation location

• Preferred dining schedule

• Any additional services requested

To guarantee the best experience, menu confirmation and final guest numbers should ideally be completed at least seven days before the event. Changes requested between seven and three days before the service may still be possible but remain subject to the chef's confirmation.

On the Day

Our chefs generally arrive approximately two hours before service, although arrival times may vary depending on the complexity of the selected menu and the number of guests.

Fresh ingredients are transported under controlled conditions using insulated containers, ensuring compliance with HACCP food safety procedures throughout transportation and preparation.

The chef prepares every dish on-site, allowing guests to enjoy the aromas, interaction, and theatre that only a live cooking experience can provide.

Depending on the size of the event, the culinary team may include:

• Two professionals for smaller experiences

• Three professionals for events up to approximately twenty guests

• Four or more professionals for larger events

For larger dinners, additional waiting staff can also be arranged to provide full table service.

After Dinner

Once the meal has concluded, the experience continues behind the scenes.

The chef and team clean the kitchen, wash the equipment used during the service where applicable, and leave the preparation areas in the same condition as they were found.

Food remaining after the meal may either be left with the guests or removed by the chef according to the guests' preference.

Waste generated during the service is handled according to HACCP procedures, ensuring the highest hygiene and food safety standards.

Kitchen Requirements

To deliver the best possible experience, the accommodation should provide a functional kitchen including:

• A worktop with running water

• Hob or induction cooktop

• Oven

• Refrigerator

If kitchen facilities are limited, our chefs will assess the available equipment and adapt wherever possible. Additional equipment, tableware, glassware, cutlery, decorations, and serving materials can also be arranged upon request for an additional fee.

Whenever feasible, photographs of the kitchen and dining area before the event help the chef prepare appropriately and ensure everything runs smoothly on the day of the experience.