Bio section
Maître d'Hôtel | Sommelier | Hospitality Consultant
I'm Alejandro Chávarro, a hospitality professional based in Lisbon, Portugal.
I've spent my career in demanding gastronomic environments—leading dining rooms, directing wine programs, and teaching the next generation of hospitality professionals. But somewhere along the way, I realized something was missing from how we train people in this industry.
We teach technique. We teach systems. But we rarely teach the humanity.
Service isn't just a sequence of steps. Wine isn't just about varietals and regions. Hospitality isn't just efficiency metrics and guest satisfaction scores.
It's about presence. It's about judgment. It's about connection.
Whether you're a sommelier, restaurant manager, young professional, or passionate amateur—if you care about depth, meaning, and craft in hospitality, you're in the right place.
From Colombia, to France, through Spain and currently in Portugal
I trained at the Hôtel Management Schools in Biarritz and Nice, earning my Mention Sommellerie. I've competed internationally—winning the World Maître d'Hôtel Championship in 2009 (Zaragoza), placing second in 2010 (Grado, Italy), and winning the Tokaji Wine Championship in 2010 (Moselle).
But what I've learned matters more than the medals: The best service happens when technique meets genuine care—when knowledge becomes a bridge to human connection, not a barrier.
I work at the intersection of three roles:
Sommelier & Wine Consultant
I taste, I select, I guide guests and clients through wine experiences that matter—not just impress. I help restaurants and hotels build wine programs that reflect their identity and serve their guests with intelligence and warmth.
Recent positions:
Head Sommelier & Restaurant Manager - Le Gabriel (***), Hôtel La Réserve Paris, with Chef Jérôme Banctel
Head Sommelier - L'Astrance (***), Paris, with Chef Pascal Barbot and Sommelier Christophe Rohat
Co-Founder & General Manager - Arthe (*), Lisbon, with Chef João Ricardo Alves
Hospitality Consultant
I work with restaurants, hotels, and hospitality teams across Europe and Latin America to refine service culture, elevate beverage programs, and develop staff who understand the why behind what they do—not just the mechanics.
Teacher
I teach at Escola de Hotelaria de Lisboa, where I help young professionals discover that hospitality is a discipline worthy of serious study—one that requires both technical mastery and human intelligence.
I created this platform because I wanted to share what I've learned—not just the techniques, but the frameworks for thinking that make you better at this work.
I wanted a space where wine, beverage, and service are treated as human disciplines, not just technical skills. Where professionals and serious amateurs can learn from lived experience, not just theory.
This is for people who:
Want to go deeper than certifications
Care about the why, not just the what
Believe hospitality is a craft that deserves respect, rigor, and continuous refinement
Want to reconnect excellence with humanity
In March 2026, led by Abel Valverde and Planeta Gastro, we're co-launching La Sala tiene la Palabra - Manifiesto alongside several leading hospitality experts. The book gives voice to the dining room—exploring service, culture, and the human craft of hospitality from those who live it daily.
The book is an extension of the philosophy behind Humanity in Hospitality: that service, wine, and hospitality are human disciplines that connect culture, craft, and care.
Launch event: March 3, 2026 - Madrid
Education:
Hôtel Management School Biarritz
Hôtel Management School Nice
Mention Sommellerie - Hôtel Management School Nice
Awards & Championships:
🏆 Winner - World Maître d'Hôtel Contest, Zaragoza, Spain (2009)
🥈 2nd Place - World Maître d'Hôtel Contest, Italy (2010)
🏆 Best Sommelier - Tokaj Wines, awarded by Association de la Sommellerie Européenne (2010)