Cooking, for me, is a way of telling stories. It’s a way to show who we are without words.” Guram Baghdoshvili grew up in Georgia, a country known for its ancestral wines and warm hospitality, surrounded by flavors, aromas, and traditions passed down through generations. His international career began in renowned kitchens in Portugal, including Nikki Beach and NoSoloÁgua, where he led teams, cooked for celebrities and major events, and trained young chefs, sharing his experience and passion for Georgian cuisine.

Returning to Georgia marked a new chapter: he founded the Chveni group, opened restaurants across the country, and led the Vinotel, a boutique restaurant recognized internationally. Later, he brought Georgian cuisine to the Middle East by opening MODI, the first Georgian restaurant at Sofitel Downtown in Dubai, representing his country abroad and becoming a culinary ambassador.

Guram has also become a television figure, presenting and judging programs like My Kitchen Rules and Kitchen Wars, inspiring young people and educating audiences about Georgian gastronomy. An entrepreneur at heart, he leads projects such as the Food Market, Thai-Thai, Citadel, and the Sairme Tourism & Gastronomic Academy, and serves as President of the Georgian Gastro Tourism Business Association. Among his unique accomplishments, he is the only known chef to have cooked for three presidents of Georgia.

Recognized by the Gault & Millau Guide as Best Chef of the Year in 2019 and awarded again in 2023 by Georgia’s National Tourism Administration, Guram returns to Lisbon in 2024 to create Karater – Taste of Georgia, offering Georgian-rooted cuisine with a Portuguese soul in a space where tradition, innovation, and hospitality converge. “More than a beautiful dish or precise technique, I want to create memories. Cooking is a form of love — and that is what I carry with me wherever I go.