I attended the Cookery/Pastry Techniques course between 2014 and 2017 at the Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo de Viana do Castelo, the city where I was born and raised. I consider these to have been the three most important years of my career, during which I felt that I could have a promising future, creating something meaningful for myself and confirming that this was my true vocation.

I see EHTVC as the future, providing solid preparation for the labour market, with a training process based on interaction with colleagues and trainers. EHTVC has given me opportunities to travel and work in prestigious hotel establishments. I did my first apprenticeship in France, at the Château de la Chèvre d'Or in Eze, near Monaco, and my second at Restaurant Serge Vieira in France, where I stayed for another seven years, working with leading chefs in the world of gastronomy, such as Anne Sophie Pic, Olivier Nasti, Serge Vieira and Martin Berasetegui in Barcelona.

I consider myself very lucky to have learned from some trainers - one of them being Chef Felício, someone who never gave up on me and my colleagues, with immense wisdom, who passed on and shared his knowledge from A to Z. He was genuine in everything he said, from this grew my motivation, ambition, and passion for pastry. I can say that everything I am, including where I am now, is thanks to Chef Felício.

I currently live in Switzerland and work at the Mandarin Oriental Palace in Luzern as Head Chef and I'm in charge of desserts at the Colonnade gastronomic restaurant, where I feel like having a valued job.

From studying and working in the kitchen to taking breaks with friends, I have fond memories. EHTVC gave me a job, it gave me friends and it gave me life. I would like to thank the school wholeheartedly for the chance of a lifetime it has given me!