page_title: Alberto Portugheis
section_title: Other passions
hierarchical_section_title: Alberto Portugheis / Other passions
caption_attribution_description: English: Portugheis, chef.
context_page_description: Alberto Portugheis is an Argentine pianist, born to parents of Russian and Romanian descent. He is an international pianist and teacher, now living in London. After winning first prize at the Geneva Concours de Virtuosité, Portugheis embarked on an international career, visiting almost 50 countries across the world. His recordings include masterpieces from a repertoire ranging from the Baroque to contemporary. He played his 70th birthday concert in London in January 2011, following his birthday on December 31.
context_section_description: Portugheis shares his passion for food with the great Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini. He told Johnny Black of CD Classics that his world travels as a concert pianist "was the most valuable experience" that he could have had to fuel an interest in good food.
  For many years, this multi-faceted man practised his passion for cooking, becoming not only the Head-Chef of various restaurants, but also presenting international gastronomic festivals. Boardoom magazine, records him as a "leading Chef" involved in a two-week festival of charcuterie at the Manor Gate restaurant in London.   Document of an article in the local Kensington paper of the day, records that he has become the chef of the Majestic Hotel in Cromwell Road and that he had moved there from the John Howard Hotel in Queensgate, London   An interview in CD Classics, 1989, also records this move, saying, that Portugheis was torn between the worlds of music and cooking.
  As he traveled the world, Portugheis was enjoying the local food of each country he visited, though he attributes his love of food to his mother, who gave him the opportunity to experience a great variety of food as a child. He also admits that, studying in Geneva, he had to work to keep himself alive. This led him to minor jobs in the restaurants of Geneva, which created a fascination for food, and as his musical career ‘took off’ he started to write articles on gastronomy.
  Portugheis became frustrated at working in other people's kitchens. Together with his colleague, friend and compatriot, Martha Argerich, he opened a successful restaurant in London, known as "Rhapsody". He recalls that they decided on this name as he was about to perform Rhapsody in Blue with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The restaurant, which is longer functioning, attracted a clientele of musicians.  Portugheis remembers that all his musician friends would come to Rhapsody, especially on the Last Night of the Proms when, he recalls, ‘Andrew Davies came over from the Albert Hall with various friends and agents.’
  Portugheis says, "Ultimately cooking and music have a great deal in common. They both provide emotional experiences. Maybe music provides a deeper emotion, but the end result of both is to make people happy". He keeps his interest alive with his recipe writing.
caption: Portugheis shares a passion for food with Rossini
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