Chef Ricardo Costa favors Portuguese gastronomy, in keeping with the Yeatman Hotel’s philosophy, showcasing the best of what Portugal has to offer, its local products and traditional recipes prepared with contemporary flair and innovative techniques. He still regularly employs tricks of the trade which he learned from his grandmother. Ricardo Loves cooking with products from his region, which are oysters; John Dory; octopus; marinhoa beef, and others. He talks in detail with the producers who work with him. He draws his inspiration from these conversations and creates his recipes based on what is in his basket. When time allows, he shops at the markets in Porto or Matoshinhos to buy local fishes.

Ricardo Costa received his formal education at the School of Hotel and Tourism in Coimbra and gained his extensive experience in Portugal, Madeira, Spain and the United Kingdom. His career has taken him through several top restaurants. He worked as a Chef at El Girasol with Chef Joachim Koerper. Later, he worked as a Sous Chef of the Sheraton Porto Hotel & Spa with the Executive Chef Jerónimo Ferreira. He became Head Chef for the first time at the Restaurant Portal, in London, in 2007. Also Costa worked as Executive Chef of the Restaurant Largo do Paço, and at the Casa da Calçada Hotel in Amarante, where he earned his first Michelin Star in 2009 and 2010.