Michelin-starred Italian chef debuts in Portugal

Vittorio Colleoni is the new Executive Chef of the PBH hotel group and responsible for the new menu at the Tasca da Memória restaurant.

The Italian Vittorio Colleoni was named Chef Executive at the restaurants of the PBH hotel group. At the age of 38, Colleoni already has a Michelin star on his CV, earned for his work at the “San Martino” restaurant in Treviglio, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.

The collaboration with the PBH Group is already underway with the design of the new menu for the Tasca da Memória restaurant, located in the elegant and intimate Wine & Books Lisboa.

After growing up in the family restaurant “San Martino” – then in his father’s hands, too chef -, Vittorio perfected his culinary techniques at the service of reference kitchens in the gastronomic panorama, with emphasis on visits to the emblematic restaurants “Martín Berasategui” (three Michelin stars, located in Lasarte-Oria, in the Basque Country) and “El Celler de Can Roca ” (three Michelin stars, in Girona, Catalonia).

Vittorio Colleoni’s journey also passed through the United States, where he worked at the restaurant “Alinea” (three Michelin stars, in Chicago) and at “Eleven Madison Park” (three stars, in New York).

Back in Italy, Vittorio took over and raised the level of the family restaurant “San Martino” and won a Michelin star in 2013. He distinguished himself by his commitment to fish dishes, but not neglecting the classic favorites inherited from his father.

The next project saw the opening of “Marelet – Locanda e Osteria Contemporanea”, its own, more versatile space, also located in the city of Treviglio.

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Vittorio Colleoni now proposes to reinvent the concept of ‘tasca’ in a five-star hotel, raising even more the level of Tasca da Memória to an experience of fine diningsurprising and offering all customers a unique gastronomic discovery.

“I was literally born in a kitchen: my grandfather and father were both cooks, and I played as a kid in the kitchen of our family restaurant. I can say that the passion for gastronomy was already born within me and I accepted, without hesitation, the challenge that the PBH Group threw at me because I believe that Portugal is very fertile ground for my style of cuisine.”, says Vittorio Colleoni.

“I want to move away from the definition of ‘Traditional Italian Chef’. I am above all a person who likes to innovate and adapt to the best local ingredients. At Tasca da Memória we will give priority to products that are very popular with the Portuguese, such as cod or octopus. We are going to reinvent the concept of ‘tasca’, offering a fine dining experience in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere, conducive to sharing,” concludes Vittorio Colleoni.

The Tasca da Memória restaurant, with a decoration and design designed by architect Joana Saraiva, is located at Travessa da Memória 62, in Ajuda, next to Belém, in Lisbon, and is open daily, from Monday to Sunday, to the general public. The space also has a terrace and bar service.

The collaboration of chef Vittorio Colleoni will soon be extended to other units of the PBH Group, as well as the development of new projects.

The PBH Group is a reference in luxury tourism in Portugal, providing unique experiences in exclusive locations. The Group integrates five-star hotel units throughout the country, including VidaMar Hotels & Resorts (in Madeira and the Algarve), Wine & Books Hotels (in Lisbon and soon also in Porto and later in Sintra), Montargil Monte Novo (in Alentejo), and São Rafael Holidays and Salgados Beach Villas (in Algarve).

The Group is also present in the catering sector, with several restaurants, such as Tasca da Memória (Lisbon), Mamma Mia (Madeira) or Primadonna (Algarve), under the guidance of Michelin-starred chef Vittorio Colleoni.