OUR HISTORY

" (...) Dreams rule life... Whenever a man dreams, the world leaps and moves forward (...) " said the poet António Gedeão.

One day, Rui Sequeira dreamed that he would open the first haute cuisine restaurant in Faro, his hometown. He studied a lot , was a finalist on the TV show Top Chef, worked in Serge Vieira's kitchen in France and at 21 years ago he began his journey into the world of fine dining , when he joined one of the most prestigious restaurants in the country as an intern . Life was going well for him: he became sous-chef in record time and was now a promising 25-year-old chef, with a unique talent and creativity. The sky was the limit and his moment to fly had arrived !

It was in 2017, with the incomparable support of his wife Cristina , that the chef took his long-held dream out of the drawer and together they began to design it. They told them that they wanted the "impossible" , that Faro had no framework for a haute cuisine concept, which would never succeed . But the duo dreamed with so much strength , and with so much love … That the impossible went from paper to reality.

Alameda was born in their heads (and hearts) long before it opened. While the physical space was being created, the couple opened the doors of their home and created the first Supper Club in the Algarve, Oitavo Frente : 8 strangers, a surprise tasting menu with wine pairing prepared and served by the hosts. What started as an idea to test possible dishes for the Alameda menu, ended up being much more than that. The people of Faro embraced the concept with curiosity and enthusiasm, in what were dozens of dinners of sharing, discovery and emotions.  This happy journey lasted for many months and confirmed what the couple already knew deep down: their restaurant would break down barriers and thrive in a city thirsty for innovation.

2 December 2018, the day the veil was lifted and Rui and Cristina Sequeira’s Alameda finally opened its doors. Named after Jardim da Alameda, the city’s oldest and most iconic garden, the restaurant was everything they had envisioned. Different and bold, yet intimate and welcoming. They dreamed, and the world leapt forward.