Belarmino Fernández Iglesias

Birth Date: In 1931
Birth Place: Rosende, Sober (Lugo)
 Curriculum

He emigrated to São Paulo (Brazil) when he was twenty. He began to work washing dishes in a restaurant but he gradually got other posts until he became maître of A Cabana Carvery. In 1957 he was invited to become part of a new restaurant, called Rubaiyat. In 1962 he became the only owner of the carvery. During the 70’s he opned two new restaurants in other parts of the city. In 1995 he opened Cabaña Las Lilas Restaurant in Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires (Argentina). Afterwards, he opened Rubaiyat Madrid in Spain.

 Work & Activities

In 1996, he created Belarmino Fernández Foundation that dedicates part of the profits to social and educative initiatives. The foundation, situated in Pazo de Rivas (Rosende) in Sober – Lugo, contributes to the cultural development of that area by means of courses on hotel management and tourism, dedicated to the population of fewer resources. Owing to his professional and cultural activity, the Spanish Government granted him the Encomienda de Isabel la Católica and was awarded the Bronze Medal of the Xunta de Galicia. The Government of Brazil granted him the Work Merit Medal.

 Other Interesting Aspects

Distinctions:
-El Mundo Guía Metrópoli:
Best restaurant of foreign cooking 2006.
-Veja São Paolo:
Best meat in the city: all the years from 1997 to 2005.
Best Feijoada in the city 2000, 2001.
Best varied cooking in the city, 2003.
Top 10 best restaurants in Brazil, 2000.
-The New York Times:
The best steak house in São Paolo: 1999, 2000 and 2004.
-Gula:
Brazil Best Meat in São Paolo: 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Best ‘churrascaria’ (asador) in São Paolo: 2000, 2001.
Best fish restaurant: 2003, 2004 and 2005.
-Prazeres da mesa:
Public figure of the year 2004.
-Guía Quatro Rodas:
Best Wine List and Wine Cellar in the country: Guía 4 Rodas 2000.
-Wine Spectator:

Best of Award of Excellence 2005, 2006.