A modern day Portuguese adventurer

In the Liaison kitchen
for Chef's Table.

Nuno Cordeiro sits in the foyer at Liaison, pouring over the ads on the job board. He zeros in on positions with Fairmont Hotels – a chance to travel and work in Dubai, Beijing, maybe even Hawaii.

Nuno at a recent burger challenge. 

He was born and raised in the Azores, the Portuguese archipelago known for its surf, sun, volcanic landscape and laid back way of life. Make no mistake though, this ambitious 26-year-old is no slouch. His life in Ribeira Grande on the main island of San Miguel was an active one; working in adventure tourism, skippering on a whale-watching boat and leading back-country hikes and jeep tours.

It was adventure, as well, that brought Nuno to Canada, with hopes of becoming a commercial pilot. A change of heart brought him to Liaison to follow his passion for great food instead.

“I could have studied in this field in Portugal,” he admits, “but I would only be learning the basics of European cuisine.” It is the multicultural influence in Canada that he finds most appealing. “When I talk to people from other countries, they are using the same ingredients, but in a thousand different ways.”

Starting an hors d'oeuvres test at the pasta machine.

Nuno will graduate from the Chef de Cuisine program in August. Over the next few years he plans to travel and work, gathering different perspectives. He is looking forward to gaining a broad range of experience before deciding where he will eventually open his own establishment.