i. Biography
Filipe Rodrigues was Executive Head Chef at Sea Me - Peixaria Moderna in Lisbon, a role that sits neatly at the center of a career shaped by the Atlantic and by the discipline of working kitchens. Born in the Algarve, he began early: as a young teen, he was already at work in the popular sardine restaurants in the seaside town of Portimão, learning the rhythms of service in a place where fish is not merely an ingredient but part of daily life. That beginning gave his cooking a marine instinct from the outset, a sense of salt, smoke, and freshness that would continue to define the arc of his career.
The Climb
Early in his career, Filipe Rodrigues worked as chef at Midori, then served as Executive Head Chef at Sea Me - Peixaria Moderna (2010–2014), before going on as chef at Rabo de Pêxe and chef at Sushi Café. Read in sequence, those names trace a path of steady ascent rather than abrupt reinvention: each kitchen added another layer to his culinary language, refining a style that feels both maritime and exacting. The movement from one named house to the next suggests a chef building not only experience, but confidence in precision — in the clean line of a cut, the timing of a glaze, the balance between sea-led flavor and careful technique. At Sea Me - Peixaria Moderna, where his Executive Head Chef years ran from 2010–2014, Rodrigues was associated with a version of cooking that leaned into the modern fish house spirit implied by the restaurant’s name: contemporary, polished, and rooted in the ingredients of the ocean. From there, his work at Rabo de Pêxe and Sushi Café continued to sharpen that identity. The progression is telling: each stage remained close to the sea, yet each offered a distinct frame through which to express it. Today, Filipe is guest lecturer of ESHTE (since 2011), founder and chef of A Taberna do Mar (since 2018), and founder and chef of GARUM Fish & Wine Bar (since 2024). These roles show a chef whose work extends beyond the pass. At ESHTE, where he has been a guest lecturer since 2011, his experience moves into the classroom, where technique and memory can be passed on in a different register. With A Taberna do Mar, founded in 2018, and GARUM Fish & Wine Bar, founded in 2024, Rodrigues has carried his career into ventures that clearly keep faith with the same currents that shaped him: fish, the sea, and the careful pairing of flavor and context.
Signature
Filipe's signature dishes include sardine nigiri and Sakana Gunkan. Together, they speak to the way his cooking navigates between tradition and refinement, between the familiar language of fish and the sharper, more composed vocabulary of contemporary plate work. Sardine nigiri, in particular, resonates with the kind of coastal sensibility that feels deeply tied to his beginnings in Portimão, while Sakana Gunkan points to a more stylized expression of that same marine focus.
Recognition
At Sea Me in Lisbon, his named work includes Sakana Gunkan, a new creation made with choco and passion fruit. The dish suggests the kind of imaginative tension that can animate a chef’s kitchen: the briny, yielding character of choco set against the brightness of passion fruit, resulting in a combination that feels both surprising and deliberate. Another signature dish attached to his cooking is Atum Grelhado com Manteiga de Soja e Arroz de Sushi. Its title alone evokes a composed, ingredient-led plate, one where grilled tuna, soy butter, and sushi rice are brought together in a format that reflects both restraint and intention.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Filipe
What is Filipe Rodrigues's current role?
Where did Filipe Rodrigues work before?
Filipe Rodrigues's earlier career included Midori, Sea Me - Peixaria Moderna, and Rabo de Pêxe.
