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.
The Sommelier, Pedro Nogueira
The Sommelier, Pedro Nogueira
Pedro Nogueira is Isabella’s sommelier and head of front-of-house. The moment he stepped into the space—still under construction, with sand on the floor—he immediately sensed its potential. Although he was comfortably established as sommelier at JNCQuoi Avenida, he chose to make the move.
For Isabella’s wine list, his goal is to encourage guests to step outside their comfort zones, discover new wines, and take risks in their choices—always with the option of seeking the sommelier’s guidance. Of the 280 labels on the list, diverse in nature (ranging from small producers to well-established names), 60% are Portuguese wines and 40% are international. Among the latter, champagnes, sparkling wines, and white wines take the lead—Pedro admits a preference for French producers, particularly from Burgundy and Bordeaux.
That said, he is a strong advocate of Portuguese wines, with a special fondness for fortified varieties. In fact, one of his aims is for Isabella to help revive a tradition: bringing fortified wines back to the table—whether it be Port, Moscatel, or Carcavelos. Pedro also reveals a unique experience that Isabella will offer: the opportunity for guests to create their own Moscatel blend, based on a Moscatel de Setúbal crafted by António Saramago—JMS 1998. This special fortified wine will be stored in the same glass jars that, a century ago, were used to keep face powder, when the space still housed the David & David perfumery laboratory.
Pedro Nogueira’s goal is for Isabella’s guests to leave with the memory of service without formality, and with the desire to return. The same applies to the wines: the pricing is designed to encourage guests to come back again.
Pedro Nogueira is Isabella’s sommelier and head of front-of-house. The moment he stepped into the space—still under construction, with sand on the floor—he immediately sensed its potential. Although he was comfortably established as sommelier at JNCQuoi Avenida, he chose to make the move.
For Isabella’s wine list, his goal is to encourage guests to step outside their comfort zones, discover new wines, and take risks in their choices—always with the option of seeking the sommelier’s guidance. Of the 280 labels on the list, diverse in nature (ranging from small producers to well-established names), 60% are Portuguese wines and 40% are international. Among the latter, champagnes, sparkling wines, and white wines take the lead—Pedro admits a preference for French producers, particularly from Burgundy and Bordeaux.
That said, he is a strong advocate of Portuguese wines, with a special fondness for fortified varieties. In fact, one of his aims is for Isabella to help revive a tradition: bringing fortified wines back to the table—whether it be Port, Moscatel, or Carcavelos. Pedro also reveals a unique experience that Isabella will offer: the opportunity for guests to create their own Moscatel blend, based on a Moscatel de Setúbal crafted by António Saramago—JMS 1998. This special fortified wine will be stored in the same glass jars that, a century ago, were used to keep face powder, when the space still housed the David & David perfumery laboratory.
Pedro Nogueira’s goal is for Isabella’s guests to leave with the memory of service without formality, and with the desire to return. The same applies to the wines: the pricing is designed to encourage guests to come back again.