Michael and his wife, Sylvie, started Restaurant Roma on the Estrade de Benagil a year ago and have been making steady progress with this excellent venue.

Q. How does the Internet fit into your life?

M.S. Just as a...brilliant way of...its fantastic technology. I was listening to a radio station in South Africa today - I think its fantastic that you can take photographs and literally two seconds later it can be viewed on the other side of the world. I use CNN for breaking news, weather forecasts..everything! E-mail, of course and for the hotel to look up information for guests. Whenever I travel I always look on the Internet first for maps, guides and pictures. By the way Carvoeiro.com is very well done!

Q. Thank you. What are some of your most frequently visited web sites?

M.S.

www.cnn.com
www.carvoeiro.com
www.flightsimnetwork.com
www.avsim.com

As you can see I have a passion for flying and have logged many hours on my flight simulator at home.

Q. When did you first visit Carvoeiro?

M.S. Two years ago I was sent over here by my company (www.pestana.com) to run a hotel in Alvor (from Madeira). I was just driving around and I fell in love with it immediately. Unfortunately I had already bought a home in Portimáo, but the next one will be in Carvoeiro.

Q. Do you think the Algarve is changing?

M.S. Fantastic future here! In what respect? I´m talking about business - more people are building houses, more tourists and you can see all the construction going on as you drive around.

Q. What do you think could be changed in Carvoeiro, realistically?

M.S. I´d love to see a marina like they are building in Alvor and a small five star hotel. I associate Carvoeiro with ... well it´s like the Monte Carlo of the Algarve and it would be wonderful to see a casino and a promenade, with palm trees. However, all this should be strictly controlled in order to preserve the village-like ambience of a typical Algarvian fishing village.

Q. Who would be able to build this Utopia?

M.S. Well, thats...who would do that - it´s very difficult.

Q. How did you find Resturant Roma?

M.S. We knew the previous owners, a Swiss couple, and err who ... had been here for three years and wanted to return to Switzerland. It just came around, talking one evening, it´s so beautiful that since Sylvie and I first came to eat here, we fell in love with it.

Q. What was it like last year just after you opened?

M.S. Well, to be honest, as we opened in June, I was all alone in the kitchen for the first week, which was difficult.

Q. Are you a chef?

M.S. Well, if you like, I have a background of food and beverage after having studied in Switzerland, where they give you quite a thorough food and beverage background. The only difficulty was staff, because it worked so well, due to the beauty of the restaurant itself. Then we found our Swiss/Italian chef who is still with us today. He has had many praises during the last year.

Q. What makes the restaurant so beautiful?

M.S. Just the emplacement, the uh... the landscaped gardens, the pool, the interior with it´s beautiful frescs of the Vatican in the 12th century. The ambience in summer is unbeatable while Alforrobinho strolls amidst the tables scattered around the pool singing Italian folk songs.

Q. Any future projects?

M.S. Yes I´d like to start a South African evening, for instance on the first Friday evening of each month, because of my roots and due to the multitude of South Africans living in the Algarve...so we could exchange our stories of home. Another project, which is already en route, is to make a wine evening, as I am passioante about wines. All of the people, who are as keen as I am, would meet once a month. The idea would be to invite a Portuguese wine producer to come and talk about his wines to animate the evening. The rest, food and locale we already have. As a matter of fact, I have already contacted the Algarve Wine Society.

Q. Would you like to get involved in a local business group?

M.S. Yes, of course, because I find it very interesting meeting like-minded people. Actually we will soon be hosting a cocktail evening for all the local business people, organized by you guys, of course! I´m sure we will come up with some idea to meet regularly in the future. 

Q. Thanks for your time, I know you´re busy.

M.S. No problem and thank YOU. May I wish you all the best with Carvoeiro.com as I know you have some exciting projects underway.