Telmo Faria
Chef Telmo Faria, was born in the Bay Area, California to Portuguese immigrant parents, who moved back to the island of Faial in the Azores when he was only a year old. Chef Telmo's first restaurant experience came when his father opened 'Adega Santa' in Horta, Faial. It was there that his love of cooking and hospitality was forged. He recalls daily shopping trips with his father to the small seasonal produce stalls of the local outdoor market, purchasing fresh fish directly from fishermen at the city's docks, and visiting butchers selling local, sustainably raised meats. Eventually returning to California, Chef Telmo enrolled at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. He has since spent the last 20 years honing his craft and refining his skills in the kitchens of LaSalette Restaurant (Sonoma, CA), Montrio Bistro (Monterey, CA), as the Executive Chef for the TMI restaurant group (Tacolicious, Mosto), and for the last 8 years as the Executive Chef/Owner of UMA CASA Portuguese restaurant in San Francisco. Additionally Chef Telmo is a published cookbook author, has consulted on multiple local and international restaurant concepts, participated in marquee food and wine festivals, as well as making numerous local, national, and international television appearances. With UMA CASA, Chef Telmo's goal is to use the inspirations of his childhood and heritage to bring to the Bay Area the flavors of Portugal, using the sensibilities and sourcing practices that have become synonymous with the California dining landscape.