Travel Tips
Ocean Restaurant: The Art of Fine Dining at Algarve
06.04.2022
The Algarve has long been famed for its tasty, typical cuisine, but in the last few years, Algarve has built a solid reputation as a destination for haute cuisine. With the opening of luxury restaurants, this southern region has more Michelin stars than other parts of Portugal, including Lisbon and Porto.
With so many talented chefs and innovative cookery emerging, Algarve has been counting the growth of its Michelin-starred restaurants, two of which boast two stars, making the Algarve’s gourmet scene a place of extreme creativity. No doubt, that a major influence in this recognition has been Chef Hans Neuner at Ocean Restaurant at Vila Vita Parc resort. With very thoughtful and creative cooking, top-of-the-notch service, and a lavish setting, Ocean is an essential experience for lovers of fine dining and its art.
From swanky settings in cliff-top hotels to romantic rural retreats, be prepared to be spoilt by a great number of fine-dining choices, but for now, indulge in a little bit of Algarve culinary luxury, with Ocean restaurant, that will add a special touch to your magnificent holiday.
When entering Ocean restaurant, you will quickly understand where the restaurant name came about. Composed of incredibly large windows, located on the south wall of the space, that offer the guests unobstructed and magnificent views of the Atlantic ocean. Besides the dining room is very contemporary with clean lines and a palette of deep-sea blue and dove gray to match the stunning views of the ocean. The dark hues of the space contrast with the wall filled with striking white corals, eventually becoming a form of art, and the splendid Austrian crystal stemware and silver cutlery on the tables complete the décor perfectly.
At the helm of Ocean kitchen is Austria native Hans Neuner. The kitchen is no strange place to Chef Neuner since both his father and grandfather were cooks and owners of a restaurant that has been passed from generation to generation, which is now owned by the brother of Chef Hans Neuner. Moreover, much of Neuner’s professional training came under the guidance of Karlheinz Hauser, during his nine years at the Adlon Hotel in Berlin. He further developed his culinary skills at Tristan Restaurant (two Michelin stars) in Mallorca, Spain, and Seven Seas (one Michelin star) in Hamburg.
In 2007, Vila Vita Parc invited Neuner to head Chef of the kitchen at Ocean, he was given the opportunity to build and lead a team toward his aspiration of winning his own Michelin star. Just two short years later, the dream has come true, and a Michelin star was awarded to Ocean in 2009. As if that weren't enough, the dream of being awarded a Michelin star had become even higher since Neuner and his team were awarded a second Michelin star in 2011, which they still hold to these days. The next phase of the dream? To obtain the third star, which will be an unprecedented achievement and a first in the Portuguese gastronomy scenery.
Neuner base his culinary on technical precision, a keen sense of creativity, and a passion for using only locally-sourced and fresh products. Furthermore, he is always innovating and persistently improving, and that is why further accolades include earning two stars in the Red Guide of Portugal and being named Portugal’s Chef of the Year in 2009, 2012, and 2019.
In addition, Portugal is a country that offers a cornucopia of fresh ingredients and flavors, and Chef Hans Neuner is always celebrating Portuguese gastronomy, taking inspiration from exploring the country’s regions, visiting with locals, and perfecting flavors through gourmet-focused research.
By booking your tour in Portugal with us you will have flexibility in the future, plus an acquired "Clean and Safe" seal. Through these unique times, we are available to plan, reschedule, and move your trip around your needs, as always. If your new dates may no longer work with your initial travel plan, a dedicated consultant will be available to tailor and reschedule your time in Portugal according to your needs and preferences, and to assure you that you will have the best and most memorable experiences.
