In Memoriam: Chef António Neves Coelho

 

 

In Memoriam: Chef António Neves Coelho

“I love Portuguese food. I love the traditional and authentic cuisine. It’s the one I learned in Portugal. For me, that’s very important because I prefer the traditional things.”

Chef António Neves Coelho

The guardian of Luso-Macanese cuisine and a cherished friend, Chef António Neves Coelho, left us on 12 October 2025 at Hospital Conde de São Januário. A towering figure in Portuguese gastronomy in Macau, mentor to generations, defender of culinary authenticity, and symbol of institutional resilience, his passing represents an irreparable loss to the gastronomic culture of the Macau SAR and to the emotional memory of all who shared tables, kitchens, and dreams with him.

Chef António grew up surrounded by the aromas of olive oil, garlic, and red wine. From an early age, he revealed a rare vocation for cooking-not merely as technique, but as cultural narrative. His training took place in emblematic houses of Portuguese gastronomy, where he learned to respect ingredients, timing, and the affections that shape culinary tradition.

His international career spanned three continents and ultimately led him to Macau-a territory where he completed military service and found his true stage. From 1997 onward, he established himself as Executive Chef and operations manager in landmark venues, becoming one of the foremost ambassadors of Portuguese and Macanese cuisine. Macau was not merely his professional destination-it was his spiritual home. António understood that Macanese cuisine is not just a fusion of flavors, but a fusion of stories. With sensitivity and rigor, he became a staunch advocate for the preservation of traditional recipes, the valorization of local ingredients, and the formation of multicultural teams with a sense of mission.

He founded his own brand, where he served as culinary director and general manager for over a decade at Restaurante António, earning 12 consecutive Michelin recommendations among other accolades. His leadership was marked by a rare combination of technical precision, human empathy, and strategic vision. His cuisine was crafted from olive oil and affection, from technique and tenderness, from rigor and poetry.

His contributions were recognized with two prestigious honors: the Medal of Tourism Merit, awarded by the Government of the Macau SAR in recognition of his role in developing the hospitality and gastronomic culture of the region; and the Medal of Merit for Portuguese Communities, awarded by the Government of Portugal for his role as a cultural bridge between continents and for promoting Portuguese identity abroad. These honors were not mere trophies-they were testimonies to his dedication to public service, culture, and excellence.

In 2024, António took on the leadership of a new gastronomic project at Lisboeta Macau: Angela Café & Lounge. There, he created a menu that celebrated the essence of Portuguese and Macanese cuisine, with dishes such as bacalhau à lagareiro, seafood rice, and convent-inspired desserts. The venue became a meeting point between tradition and modernity, between tourists and locals, between memory and future. His team, formed and inspired by him, continues to embody the pillars of his vision: dedication, creativity, and a commitment to excellence.

The passing of Chef António represents a loss of profound human and institutional significance. Yet his legacy remains alive-in the memories of the clients who savored his dishes; in the formation of professionals who learned from him; in the institutional identity of the spaces he helped build; and in the gastronomic culture of Macau and the Portuguese diaspora.

His work does not end with his departure-it continues in every preserved recipe, in every transmitted technical gesture, and in every ethical value upheld. More than a chef, António was the guardian of the Luso-Macanese gastronomic soul. His life was a bridge between continents, flavors, and generations. His cuisine was made of memory and innovation, of technique and tenderness, of rigor and poetry. May his memory live on in every dish served, in every story told, and in every young professional who dares to dream of a cuisine that respects the past and transforms the present.

Before his passing, Chef António entrusted his legatee with a precious collection of recipes-far more than technical records, they are authentic trophies of Portuguese cuisine, refined over decades of practice, reflection, and passion. This legacy is not merely a gastronomic archive-it is a cultural inheritance, a statement of intent, and a mission to fulfill.

Each recipe represents a chapter of his life, a shared memory, a silent homage to the roots that shaped him. These are dishes that carry the flavors of childhood, the rigor of classical training, the boldness of reinvention, and the tenderness of maturity. They are formulas that go beyond ingredients and measurements-they contain gestures, silences, waiting times, and above all, intention.

The legatee, chosen with discernment and trust, did not receive just a recipe book. She received a culinary testament, a map of values, and an institutional responsibility. It is now her task to execute, preserve, and reinterpret these creations with fidelity and courage-keeping the flame of authenticity alive without falling into the rigidity of repetition.

In Portuguese tradition, the transmission of recipes is an act of intimacy and respect. It is not merely about teaching-it is about trusting. Chef António understood this deeply. That is why the recipes he left behind were not mass-published or turned into commercial products. They were entrusted to someone who understood his spirit, who shared the daily rhythm of the kitchen, and who demonstrated technical skill and human sensitivity.

These recipes include classic dishes and convent-inspired desserts reimagined with local ingredients. They also include unpublished creations, conceived for special occasions, thematic menus, and cultural tributes. These are dishes that never reached the public, but which may now be revealed with the care they deserve.

Executing these recipes is not merely about reproducing flavors-it is about embodying a philosophy. The legatee must maintain the balance between fidelity and evolution, technique and emotion, tradition and contemporaneity. She must respect the timing, gestures, and silences that Chef António taught. She must understand that each dish is also a message, a memory, and a declaration of identity.

More than cooking, she must curate-in both the museological and emotional sense. Curate the legacy, protect it from trivialization, and present it with dignity. She must train others, transmit the values she received, and ensure that the legacy does not fade with time but multiplies with meaning.

This work is not merely gastronomic-it is curatorial, educational, and diplomatic. It affirms that cuisine is also culture that the dish is also a document, and that flavor is also memory.

The recipes left by Chef António are seeds. It is now up to the legatee and the institution involved to cultivate them with respect, nourish them with knowledge, and make them flourish with creativity. Each time one of these recipes is served, it will be as if Chef António were present-not as a shadow, but as light.

This legacy is a rare gift. And like all precious gifts, it demands care, time, and love. May it be honored with the same generosity with which it was conceived. May it be shared with the same elegance with which it was lived. May it be perpetuated with the same passion with which it was created.

Because in cuisine, as in life, what endures is not what is repeated-it is what is respected.