i. Biography
George Mcleod has been co-founder and chef of SEM in Lisbon since 2021, shaping the restaurant’s identity through precision rather than volume. The work at SEM is marked by restraint: flavors are built in layers, with each element placed to do a job, not to compete for attention. As both co-founder and chef, Mcleod has helped define the tone from the start and continued to refine it over time.
At a Glance - Current role: co-founder and chef. - Start year: 2021. - City: Lisbon.
Signature
George's signature dishes include Cuttlefish Tartare, Smoked Yolk, and Plums and Spinach. Those dishes point to a cooking language built on contrast and control. Cuttlefish Tartare suggests a focus on clarity and texture. Smoked Yolk carries a deeper register, with smoke and richness held in balance. Plums and Spinach brings fruit and greens into the same frame, signaling brightness and measured acidity. The naming is compact, but the work implied is exacting: marine against earthy, smoke against softness, sweetness against green vitality. At SEM in Lisbon since 2021, George Mcleod’s role sits inside a broader discipline of composition, where each component has a purpose and nothing reads as accidental. As co-founder and chef, he is part of the restaurant’s authorship as well as its execution, giving the room continuity while the plates stay focused on detail. The result is a cuisine that relies on texture, memory, and calibrated combinations rather than display.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of George
What recognition has George Mcleod received?
Best Chef Awards — One Knife.
