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Chef Ricardo Costa
Chef
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Ricardo Costa is Executive Chef of The Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant in Vila Nova de Gaia, in Porto, Portugal, a role he has held since 2010. He also serves as Executive Chef at The Yeatman Hotel in Porto. His work there is tied to Origem, the restaurant’s new menu, which sits at the center of his current kitchen identity. In a career shaped by movement up through some of the region’s most recognisable kitchens, Costa has arrived at a position where precision, continuity, and a clear culinary voice meet every day.
The Climb
Early in their career, Chef worked at El Girasol, where the foundations of discipline and kitchen rhythm were laid in the heat and pressure of service. He then moved to Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa as Sous Chef, a step that would have sharpened the quiet mechanics of the back of house: timing, coordination, and the ability to make every plate land with consistency. From there, his path carried him to Restaurant Largo do Paço, Casa da Calçada Hotel, as Executive Chef, a title that signaled both greater responsibility and a broader hand in shaping a restaurant’s identity. He later became Head Chef at Restaurant Portal, from 2007, a position that placed him firmly in command and marked an important stage in the ascent that followed. Today, Chef is Executive Chef of The Yeatman Hotel (since 2010), an appointment that joined hotel leadership with the more exacting, expressive demands of fine dining.
Today
Since 2010, he has led the Gastronomic Restaurant at The Yeatman, while also holding the Executive Chef title at the hotel. That dual role gives his work a strong sense of continuity: the restaurant and the hotel move together under one culinary direction, with his hand present in both the larger vision and the smallest detail. Origem is the menu associated with that restaurant now, and it gives shape to his present work in Vila Nova de Gaia. The name itself suggests beginnings and source, and in practice it functions as the lens through which his kitchen identity is now read. The role links him to Porto’s dining scene through a restaurant that has become central to his career, anchoring his reputation in a city where place and plate are inseparable.
Signature
Chef's signature dishes include Suckling pig, potato, and lettuce and ajo blanco and Origem. The combination suggests a style that is both grounded and composed: one dish carrying the richness of tradition, another marked by the clarity and structure of the menu that now defines his kitchen. Together they point to a chef whose work is built on balance, on the careful layering of flavor and texture, and on the confidence to let a dish speak in a measured voice.
Recognition
Chef's honors include Michelin Guide, two Michelin stars (2017), Michelin Guide, first Michelin star (2009), and The Best Chef Awards, Two Knives 'World-Class'. These awards trace the arc of his rise with notable clarity. The Michelin Guide, first Michelin star (2009) acknowledged an already significant standard of cooking, while Michelin Guide, two Michelin stars (2017) marked a further step into rarefied company. The Best Chef Awards, Two Knives 'World-Class' places his work in an international conversation about excellence, reinforcing the sense that his kitchen at The Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant is not only locally important, but part of a wider culinary landscape.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Chef
What is Chef Ricardo Costa's current role?
As of 2026, Chef Ricardo Costa is Executive Chef.
Where did Chef Ricardo Costa work before?
Chef Ricardo Costa's earlier career included El Girasol, Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa, and Restaurant Largo do Paço, Casa da Calçada Hotel.
What recognition has Chef Ricardo Costa received?
Michelin Guide, two Michelin stars (2017).
