FLYER &
MENULUNCH "VISTA" at MONTE REI
April 13th, 2013
In April 2012 we visited the elegant Vistas Restaurant at the Monte Rei Golf and Country Club for an exciting lunch with Spanish influence and we are going to repeat it this year, albeit with a different but equally exciting menu. Our host is Confrer Salvador B. de Lucena who is The General Manager responsible for the beautiful complex and the Chef is Jaime Perez ex El Bulli in Barcelona which had in the years before its closure in 2011 the reputation as "The Best Restaurant in The World".
A Although Monte Rei is a sophisticated luxury golf and country club on Portugal’s Eastern Algarve with its famed Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course it is now becoming an important gastronomic destination due to the culinary concepts developed by Jaime Perez. It is set in over 1000 acres in the Eastern Algarve, between Vila Real de Santo António and Tavira and boasts breathtaking views of both the Atlantic Ocean and the dramatic Serra do Caldeirão mountains.
Salvador Lucena who has fully supported this lunch for us graduated from the Hotel Management School in Porto and has over 20 years of international experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to joining Monte Rei in February 2008, Salvador specialized in operations and product development and has held senior management positions in 5 star properties like The Cliff Bay (Madeira), Sheraton Mencey (Canary Islands) and The Ritz Four Seasons (Lisbon). During his career, Salvador has worked in different countries such as England, Russia, Belize, Spain and Portugal.
Jaime Perez is responsible for developing the new culinary concepts within the resort and the overall F&B operation since June 2007. As mentioned above Jaime has the distinction of having worked as a leading chef at the famous three Michelin star El Bulli - ranked the best restaurant in the world. Before arriving in Monte Rei, Jaime worked at the Ritz Carlton Arts Hotel in Barcelona, heading two of the main restaurants in the hotel, including the fine dining Enoteca. Jaime’s culinary career also includes collaborations with Pedro Subijana in San Sebastian and Henrique Martinez at NH Hotels in Marbella. Jaime presents us a successful combination of an Iberian cuisine with a Mediterranean flair and a focus on the finest fresh ingredients. As Jaime states “only the best is good enough”.
