CONCEPT & TEAM
The Chef, Ricardo Leite
The Chef, Ricardo Leite
To lead Isabella’s orchestra, Ricardo Flora brought in another Ricardo—the chef Ricardo Leite, with a proven track record in both national and international gastronomy. Trained at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu in London, Ricardo Leite took his first steps at chef Nuno Mendes’s restaurant, Viajante (1* Michelin).
After returning to Portugal, he worked at Bica do Sapato, at Loco (1* Michelin) alongside Alexandre Silva, and at Feitoria (1* Michelin). The chef combines technique with a deep love for ingredients, often traveling hundreds of kilometers in search of the best produce. He also led “Alma Nómada” in Porto Covo, where the menu lived in harmony with nature, respecting the winds, tides, and equinoxes.
The chef’s strong connection to the rural world comes from his childhood and memories with his mother and grandmother in Trás-os-Montes—summers spent in the countryside, planting and sowing, or tasting the wild blackberries his grandmother would give him for a snack. It was there that he developed a taste for truly authentic ingredients, now a hallmark of his cuisine.
Another defining trait is his attention to detail—something evident throughout Isabella, including the handcrafted ceramic plates that carry the chef’s creations to the table.
To lead Isabella’s orchestra, Ricardo Flora brought in another Ricardo—the chef Ricardo Leite, with a proven track record in both national and international gastronomy. Trained at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu in London, Ricardo Leite took his first steps at chef Nuno Mendes’s restaurant, Viajante (1* Michelin).
After returning to Portugal, he worked at Bica do Sapato, at Loco (1* Michelin) alongside Alexandre Silva, and at Feitoria (1* Michelin). The chef combines technique with a deep love for ingredients, often traveling hundreds of kilometers in search of the best produce. He also led “Alma Nómada” in Porto Covo, where the menu lived in harmony with nature, respecting the winds, tides, and equinoxes.
The chef’s strong connection to the rural world comes from his childhood and memories with his mother and grandmother in Trás-os-Montes—summers spent in the countryside, planting and sowing, or tasting the wild blackberries his grandmother would give him for a snack. It was there that he developed a taste for truly authentic ingredients, now a hallmark of his cuisine.
Another defining trait is his attention to detail—something evident throughout Isabella, including the handcrafted ceramic plates that carry the chef’s creations to the table.