About me
During the final year of his Business Management degree, Vasco realized that his passion for cooking was stronger than his love for numbers. Cooking was what he really loved to do and stopped everything to pursue his dream.
In 2008, Vasco moved from Porto to Lisbon, where he studied at Atelier de Cozinha Michel. At the same time, he worked at “Olivier Avenida” with Chef Olivier. His degree’s internship was at Tavares Rico with José Avillez, the first Portuguese Chef that got two Michelin stars.
In early 2010, he left for Spain where he joined the team of some of the world’s best restaurants: Mugaritz, Arzak e ElBulli. He learnt amongst Chefs like Andoni Aduriz, Arzak e Ferran Adria and it was an amazing experience that influenced his career. After three years, he returned to Porto willing to go further and explore what he learned. Then, it appears the opportunity to be part of Pedro Lemos’ team, where he worked for two years. In mid-2013, Vasco went on a trip for a few months to explore new flavours and culinary worlds.He visited several countries in Europe and Asia, where he worked at Viajante (London) and 2 am: Dessert Bar (Singapore).
Back to Porto, he started Euskaldna Studio, specializing in private dinners that aim to bring the best ingredients to the client’s table. Furthermore, he often participated in conferences, culinary meetings, show-cookings and workshops. In June 2015, his entrepreneurial vision lead him to join the restaurant business as a partner of Baixó Pito. With a groundbreaking culinary concept, all thought by Vasco, the restaurant was Porto’s first Chicken House, where chicken is reinvented.
At the end of 2016, Vasco opened, at the heart of Porto, Euskalduna Studio to continue the culinary experimentation, the search for his gastronomic identity and the constant pursuit of flavours’ eclecticism. After one year of many awards and events, the Chef starts one more project at Porto: Semea by Euskalduna. Thought as a space of sharing, the restaurant favours Portuguese flavours and ingredients through the creation of memories with family and friends.
Today, Vasco Coelho Santos is one of the rising stars of the new Portuguese gastronomic food scene and his restaurant are gaining international and national recognition.