Many of you ask me what everyday life really looks like for a private chef in Faro. This week, I'm cooking for four days for a family in a villa near Almancil, in the heart of the Golden Triangle, 20 minutes from Faro. Come along for a full day, from Olhão market to the final wipe of the worktop.
One thing before we start: you won't see a single photo of the villa or of my clients. Respecting their privacy is part of the job, just as much as cooking a robalo to perfection. The dishes, the markets and the produce, on the other hand, I'll show you all of it.
The day before: laying the groundwork
Landing in Faro in the late morning, picking up the hire car, dropping my bags at my accommodation. Being a private chef on the road is, first and foremost, a matter of logistics.
Next stop: Olhão market, one of the finest fish markets in Portugal, set right on the Ria Formosa. This is where I order my oysters for tomorrow, farmed right here in the Ria Formosa, the great lagoon that borders Olhão. A nod I can't resist: I come from Arcachon Bay, so oysters are a family affair. While I'm there, I pick up fruit for breakfast: a punnet of strawberries, some plums and a quarter of a watermelon for €6. Yes, €6. Prices at Portuguese markets are one of the Algarve's pleasant surprises.
Then a stop at Apolonia in Almancil: picture a local fresh-food supermarket with a fine-food twist. Flour, chocolate, sugar, groceries and imported goods: you'll find anything a recipe might be missing. But I only ever go there as a last resort, as it's expensive and not always local. My rule in the Algarve, as everywhere else: the market comes first.
Last stop: my clients' villa. I put everything in the fridge, check that nothing is missing for tomorrow's breakfast and get to know the kitchen. Then it's free time: a stroll along the seafront towards Quarteira, dinner in a restaurant and an early night. Tomorrow starts at 6am.
6:00am: Wake-up
Up at 6am. By 7am, I'm in the villa kitchen. The house is still asleep: it's my favourite moment, when everything falls into place in silence.
8:00am: Breakfast
By 8am, everything is ready:
- A platter of fresh fruit from Olhão market: strawberries, plums, watermelon
- Pastries and a basket of fresh bread
- Greek yoghurt, homemade granola and fresh berries
- Eggs cooked to order: scrambled, fried or soft-boiled
- Freshly squeezed orange juice, espresso and teas
Organisation, my real secret recipe
Before they even arrive, my clients receive a complete file setting out the whole organisation of their stay: the menus for every meal, day by day, and the number of guests expected at each service. Everyone's allergies and wishes are built in from the start. They know exactly what to expect, which reassures them, and it allows me to plan everything down to the last detail: in the kitchen, nothing is left to chance.
9:30am: Clean-up, then back to Olhão
After breakfast, I clean and tidy everything away: my clients get their kitchen back as if I had never been there.
Then it's off to Olhão for the second round: collecting the oysters I ordered yesterday and buying the produce for dinner. It's the ideal set-up here: the markets rarely open at dawn, so I serve breakfast first and do the shopping afterwards. The result: everything that reaches the table in the evening was bought that very morning, and I'm already buying what I need for tomorrow. The menus themselves were set long ago in the file my clients received.
The afternoon: time out
Back to the villa to store the produce and leave a snack ready in the fridge for the afternoon: market crudités and homemade dips. Then a break. Today, it's the historic centre of Loulé: its covered market hall, its narrow streets, and a Japanese restaurant I spotted that has been calling my name since I arrived. Chefs need to eat too, and inspiration is everywhere.
This break is no luxury: the evening service demands every ounce of energy. A well-rested chef means a flawless service.
5:00pm: In the kitchen
Tonight, my clients are entertaining, so there will be more guests at the table. I therefore start earlier, at 5pm, to be fully on top of things: mise en place, cooking, plating.
On tonight's menu, set in the file since the booking:
Tonight's menu
- Amuse-bouches: smoked salmon and Antonius caviar blinis · caviar on potato with crème fraîche · green melon skewer with olive oil and Espelette pepper · Algarve gazpacho shot · exotic prawn tartare, passion fruit mayonnaise, pineapple and guacamole · plancha-grilled gambas with lemon and coriander
- Starter: a platter of Olhão oysters on a bed of ice, shallot and red wine mignonette, lime and homemade ponzu
- Main course: pan-fried fillet of robalo (Atlantic sea bass) with crispy skin, citrus-braised fennel, samphire and shellfish jus
- Dessert: peach in a sweet vinaigrette, meringue and bitter almond Chantilly cream
The fish comes from the morning market, the fruit from the stalls of Olhão and Loulé. French technique, Portuguese produce: that's exactly why I love cooking in the Algarve.
11:00pm: The home straight
The last dessert has been served and the clients are enjoying their terrace. I clean the kitchen from top to bottom before heading back to my accommodation. Tomorrow morning at 6am, it all starts again, and that rhythm is exactly what I love.
“As a private chef, I don't just sell meals: I sell holidays with no mental load at all. My clients come back from the beach, the table is set, and the fish from Olhão market is waiting for them.”
Fancy experiencing this from the other side of the table?
If you're renting a villa in the Algarve (Almancil, Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, Vilamoura, Lagos or Tavira), I take care of everything: the markets, the cooking, the service, the clean-up. All you have to do is enjoy. Free personalised quote within 24 working hours.
Request a free quoteFAQ: a private chef's day in the Algarve
What does a typical day look like for a private villa chef?
An early morning at the market, breakfast served around 8am, clean-up, shopping for dinner, a break in the afternoon, then mise en place from 5pm for the evening service. The kitchen is left spotless after every meal.
Does the private chef do the shopping himself?
Yes, it's the heart of the job. In the Algarve, I source my produce from the Olhão fish market, the Loulé market hall and local producers. Groceries are paid for by the client, with a detailed breakdown.
Can the menus be chosen in advance?
Absolutely: before arrival, every client receives a complete file with the menus for each meal, day by day, and the number of guests per service. Allergies and preferences are built in from the start, and everything can still be adjusted during the stay.
Which areas of the Algarve do you cover?
Faro, Almancil and the Golden Triangle (Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo, Vilamoura), as well as Lagos, Carvoeiro, Tavira and the whole region. Find out more on the private chef in Faro page.
