TEAM
Miguel
Garcia
A Culinary Entrepreneur with a Proven Track Record
Miguel Garcia is a highly experienced culinary professional who has made a name for himself in the restaurant and hotel industry. With over two decades of experience, he has worked with several iconic brands such as Four Seasons, Belmond, Relais & Chateaux, and Leading Hotels of the World. He has held key positions such as Chief Executive and Operations Manager at The Belmond Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro, Tivoli Mofarrej in São Paulo, and Tivoli Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon. He was also a Regional Operations Manager for Minor Hotels, where he managed over 10 urban units of top brands like Tivoli, Anantara, Avani, and NH Hotels.
In 2022, Miguel made the decision to pursue his dream of becoming an entrepreneur. He acquired both locations of the Café de São Bento, and now, with four locations, he has launched the Bougain Restaurant & Garden Bar. Under his leadership, the Café de São Bento Group continues to maintain its high standards of quality service, ingredients, and techniques.
Carlos Eduardo
Silva
Our Seasoned Restaurant Manager
Cadu, as we know him at Bougain, has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, and has worked at some of the most renowned establishments in Brazil and South America. He started his career at the Copacabana Palace, where he served as a Manager at Mee – the first Pan-Asian restaurant to win a Michelin star in Rio de Janeiro. He then moved on to work as a Maître and Manager at Gero Rio at Fasano (Rio de Janeiro) for six years.
Cadu’s passion for excellence has earned him accolades in the industry. He was instrumental in reformulating the Italian Cipriani, which subsequently won its first Michelin star. Following this success, he took on the management of all the restaurants at the Belmond Cataratas do Iguaçú and Oetker Collection Palácio Tangará in São Paulo. Now, Cadu is back in Portugal, and leading the team at Bougain. With his wealth of experience and passion for exceptional service, we are confident that Cadu will continue to elevate our restaurant’s reputation as a premier dining destination in the region.
Diana
Roque
Our Talented Chef
At Bougain, we are excited to introduce our new Head Chef, Diana Roque. Diana has been perfecting her craft since 2003, when she graduated from the Cookery and Pastry course at the Hotel School of Fundão in Portugal. She then gained valuable experience in the UK, working for a year before returning to Portugal to work at prestigious establishments such as the Sheraton, Oitavos, Belcanto, and Feitoria, where she stayed for several years.
Seeking new challenges, Diana took her skills abroad, working at Michelin-starred restaurants such as Aldea in New York and Mont Bar in Barcelona, as well as Roca brothers’ restaurants.
Now, Diana is taking the reins of the kitchen at Bougain, where she will bring her passion for classic Portuguese, French and Italian cuisine to life. With her extensive experience and creative flair, Diana is sure to delight our guests with her culinary creations.
