João Narigueta, born and raised in Montemor-o-Novo, has always lived in contact with nature and the countryside.
Life in the countryside brought him into contact with organic vegetable and animal production from an early age, triggering his inexhaustible curiosity about the origin of food and ‘know-how’. That's why, ever since he was a child, João has liked to eat well, with quality and a sensitivity to flavours and their characteristics.
Is formed in the visual arts at the Gabriel Pereira Secondary School and in the IEFP Professional Cookery Course in Évora. However, João Narigueta is self-taught by nature and his quality also reflects all the time he devotes to getting to know new cultural realities, techniques or innovative concepts that are the ingredients for his creativity to shape surprising gastronomic experiences.
Adquiriu experiência determinante no conhecido L’And Vineyards, em Montemor-o-Novo, integrando a equipa que conquistou a Estrela Michelin entre 2016 e 2019 para este restaurante. A partir de 2020 segue o seu caminho inaugurando em Évora um projeto com o seu cunho pessoal, o restaurante Híbrido, reconhecido pela sua criatividade e ousadia e que conta já com mais de 600 criações gastronómicas. No ano de 2023, em parceria com o Escanção Miguel Dominguinhos, entra no projeto do Restaurante Poda em Montemor-o-Novo, que logo em 2024 conquistou o Bib Gourmand do Guia Michelin.
Desde que iniciou a sua atividade profissional tem marcado presença em diversas ações e parcerias gastronómicas, destacando-se os eventos realizados pela marca Mainova da Herdade da Fonte Santa.
As a chef, João Narigueta is also true to his principles: he only uses local products; he knows every single item of food he puts on the table, from its origin to its history; he values sustainability through an approach based on zero waste and the gastronomic self-sufficiency of his restaurant. His passion for gastronomic history does not go unnoticed; by studying the past of the ancient recipes that make up our culture, he knows exactly in what detail creativity will amaze the customer.
João Narigueta is already a certainty on the national scene, but his economic activity has made a valuable contribution to strengthening the Alentejo's relationship with its roots through a modernity that is fully aware of the ground he walks on.
