- Chele González, the first Spanish chef in the Philippines to be awarded three Michelin distinctions, took part in Madrid Fusión 2026 with two standout presentations focused on his gastronomic universe and anthropological cuisine.
- From Cantabria to the Philippines, Chele González is making history in Asia. In the first edition of the Michelin Guide Philippines, his restaurant Asador Alfonso earned one MICHELIN Star, Gallery by Chele received another MICHELIN Star, and the project was also awarded the country’s only MICHELIN Green Star at the 2026 ceremony.
- Trained in restaurants such as Arzak, elBulli, El Celler de Can Roca, Mugaritz, and Nerua, his anthropological cuisine draws from territory, memory, and local products to create dishes with a strong sense of identity, developing complete menus around specific ingredients—on this occasion, the focus was on coconut.
- Chele González drives innovation in the Philippines by using a local product as the foundation of his cuisine. In his coconut-based proposal, “The Tree of Life,” he uses every part of the fruit through fermentation and a range of techniques to create biodegradable products.
- On January 26, at The Wine Edition – “Vinomio,” he presented three Filipino bites alongside Paula Menéndez and Virginia García—Tuna Tataki Kinilaw, Humba Bomba, and Iberico Bicol Express—paired with special wines such as Alma de Mar 2020, Prado Enea 2010, and Kolor Mencía 2020.
- His participation reaffirmed his position as a leading figure in contemporary Filipino cuisine and as a pioneer in bringing Filipino identity into fine dining in Manila. In 2023, he was named Chef of the Year by Tatler Dining Philippines, and in 2025 he received two knives from The Best Chef Awards, consolidating his leadership in sustainability, creativity, and cultural respect.
Madrid, January 28, 2026. Spanish chef José Luis “Chele” González once again took part in Madrid Fusión Alimentos de España 2026, where he shared his anthropological approach to cuisine, rooted in territory and research, his latest study on coconut, and his gastronomic universe in the Philippines, including Gallery by Chele and Asador Alfonso. He also participated in The Wine Edition, presenting three Filipino bites paired with special wines, accompanied by sommeliers Paula Menéndez and Virginia García from the consultancy In Wine Veritas.
Chele González, the renowned chef from Cantabria, was awarded one MICHELIN Star and the only MICHELIN Green Star for Gallery by Chele, and one MICHELIN Star for Asador Alfonso, at the Michelin Guide Philippines 2026 ceremony. He is the first Spanish and Cantabrian chef in the Philippines to hold two MICHELIN Stars and one Green Star, in addition to receiving two distinctions in the Michelin Recommended category for two other projects, consolidating his position as one of Asia’s most important gastronomic destinations.
A pioneer of what he defines as anthropological cuisine, based on research and in-depth studies, González has spent the past 13 years reinterpreting Filipino traditions through the lens of innovation and locality. His cuisine integrates indigenous ingredients, regional products, and modern European techniques, building bridges between cultures and telling the story of the Philippines through flavor.
In 2013, he opened Gallery Vask, later renamed Gallery by Chele, a space where diners can see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the chef’s culinary artistry using Filipino products. The restaurant forgoes an “à la carte menu” in favor of two carefully crafted tasting menus of six or ten courses with vegetarian, fish, and meat variations, highlighting Filipino ingredients through collaboration with local farmers and fishermen.
Chele González has transformed the Philippine gastronomic landscape by introducing fine dining to Manila and reinterpreting local culinary culture through indigenous products and European techniques, establishing his anthropological cuisine as a benchmark in Asia.
In his main presentation, the chef explained Gallery by Chele’s new line of work, based on taking a local product as the axis of research and applying technique, tradition, and innovation to develop a complete menu. In this edition, the focus was on coconut—essential in the Philippines and Southeast Asia—expressed through the menu “The Tree of Life,” which showed how every part of the coconut is used in everyday Filipino life. Fermentation and biological techniques were incorporated to create sustainable and versatile products. During the session, three main dishes were presented, along with a brief explanation of coconut-derived bioproducts.
At the conclusion of the presentation, Chele turned to Asador Alfonso, his project that brings Spanish gastronomy beyond Spain by combining tradition and innovation. Located on an estate of nearly ten hectares, designed by Calma as a tribute to the country’s volcanic nature, the restaurant breaks with clichés of Spanish cuisine. At its center stands a Castilian oven unique in Asia, symbolizing the union of two worlds.
There, dishes such as suckling pig and lamb take on a mestizo character: crispy skin, tender meat, and the aroma of tropical smoke. Alongside them are Iberian ham croquettes; refreshing tuna with green gazpachuelo and pickles; tawilis anchovies—an endemic species from Taal Lake—treated like jewels; Gallagher oysters with chicken and mushroom escabeche; tear peas with ham jus; sole loin with a reinterpretation of Elkano’s agua de Lourdes; red prawn rice cooked in a clay pot with perfect texture and intense crustacean flavor; and house-cured A5 Wagyu ham, demonstrating how refinement can coexist with respect for tradition.
Another of his appearances took place at The Wine Edition – “Vinomio” on Monday, January 26, alongside Paula Menéndez and Virginia García from In Wine Veritas. During this session, Chele presented three Filipino bites: Tuna Tataki Kinilaw; Humba Bomba (a reinterpretation of the Filipino pork stew with Chinese spices and a miso emulsion); and Iberico Bicol Express (Iberian pork secreto with coconut sauce, aromatics, and pinakbet purée). The concept translated the restaurant’s vision into a Spanish tapas format with Filipino flavors, all paired with special wines—Alma de Mar 2020 Willy Pérez Cortado, Muga Prado Enea 2010, and Okuda Kolor Mencía—showcasing a unique contrast between Asian and European cuisines.
Chele González’s participation reaffirmed his position as a leading figure in contemporary Filipino cuisine, consolidating a historic milestone: becoming the first Spanish chef in the Philippines to be awarded two MICHELIN Stars and the country’s only MICHELIN Green Star. His approach brings together innovation, sustainability, and gastronomic culture, while strengthening ties with local producers and communities and reinforcing his influence on both Asian and Spanish gastronomy.
About José Luis “Chele” González
Born in Torrelavega, Cantabria, José Luis “Chele” González trained in cuisine at Artxanda (Bilbao) and developed his career in some of the world’s most influential restaurants, including El Bulli, Arzak, Mugaritz, Nerua, and El Celler de Can Roca. These experiences shaped his own culinary philosophy, rooted in technical precision, constant curiosity, and deep respect for culture, ingredients, and local flavors.
Driven by his adventurous spirit, Chele moved to the Philippines, working in the kitchens of prestigious hotels such as Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts and Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila. There, he decided to put his gastronomic vision to the test by creating Gallery Vask—now Gallery by Chele—which quickly established itself as one of the country’s most influential restaurants. In 2016, the project entered the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, making Chele the first Spanish chef to join this ranking and placing the Philippines on the international fine dining map.
Recognized in the industry as “the innovative chef,” Chele has built his cuisine through personal relationships with farmers, fishermen, producers, artisans, and local communities across a country of more than 7,000 islands. This approach, which he calls anthropological cuisine, is fully expressed in Gallery by Chele and his research and development space, Studio Lab, where he works with his culinary partner Carlos Villaflor exploring ingredients, techniques, and new gastronomic narratives.
His culinary universe expands with Asador Alfonso, his restaurant dedicated to ancestral Spanish cuisine, where he fulfills the dream of bringing the Spanish asado tradition to the Philippines. Together with chef Rodrigo Osorio, Chele reinterprets ancestral recipes and iconic Spanish ingredients, respecting their heritage while adapting them to the local context. In addition to his own projects, Chele collaborates with some of the country’s leading hotels and has developed gastronomic concepts such as Enye, Cantabria, and Samira.
With a career that now goes beyond the kitchen, Chele González also serves as a mentor, researcher, and gastronomic and creative director of the consultancy Adviche Inc., actively contributing to the evolution of the Filipino culinary scene. Inside and outside his restaurants, he maintains his exploratory spirit, traveling, learning, and building bridges between cultures through gastronomy.
About Gallery by Chele
In 2013, Chele González and architect Carlo Calma joined forces to create a distinctive restaurant that would stand apart from conventional establishments in the Philippines and offer immersive gastronomic experiences. Driven by a desire to contribute to the increasingly sophisticated Filipino culinary scene, Chele immersed himself in the country’s culture and explored its diverse regions to understand its ingredients, techniques, and traditions.
Over 40 days, he traveled through remote areas of the Philippines, studying local cuisine and its context, and together with Calma developed a concept they called anthropological gastronomy, reflecting their respect and fascination for Filipino culture. This gave birth to Gallery Vask, later renamed Gallery by Chele, a space where diners can see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the chef’s culinary vision, based on local products and innovative techniques.
By 2025, the restaurant was ranked #72 in Asia by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Chele has participated in international events such as Madrid Fusión Manila (2015) and Madrid Fusión España (2016), highlighting sustainability in Filipino cuisine and collaboration with local chefs to elevate the country’s gastronomic standards. He has conducted in-depth studies on local rice, galleon trade, and Filipino culinary culture, maintaining strict sustainability standards; his involvement in the Oceana project “Saving the Oceans, Feeding the World” reinforced his commitment to responsible seafood.
Throughout its evolution, Gallery by Chele has celebrated ingredient diversity and collaborated with world-renowned chefs such as Andoni Luis Aduriz, Josean Alija, Elena Arzak, André Chiang, Virgilio Martínez, Yoshihiro Narisawa, and Julien Royer. Its culinary and research teams work continuously with local communities to refine techniques and uphold territorial cuisine.
About Asador Alfonso
Located in the highlands of Alfonso, Cavite, over 70 kilometers from Manila, Asador Alfonso offers a multi-course dining experience built on precision, moderation, and intention. The menu focuses on Spanish products, where ingredient selection and seasonality determine how each dish is cooked and presented—an approach that defines the restaurant’s philosophy. Every ingredient is treated individually to achieve authentic Spanish ancestral cuisine. Each dish is served with carefully calculated timing, and ingredients are handled simply, respectfully, and precisely. At its heart burns the essence of Spain: fire, symbolized by the Jumaco Maestro Castellano oven, a traditional oven found only in some of the world’s most renowned asadores.
Menus are planned, not improvised, with each dish serving a purpose within two defined formats: Heritage, a six-course menu, and Journey, a ten-course menu. The dining room, designed to preserve calm, plays an essential role in the experience: its layout and materials support focus from kitchen to table. Under the guidance of owner and co-founder Chele González, alongside executive chef Rodrigo Osorio and restaurant manager Irene Fernández, Asador Alfonso is built on consistency and clarity, designed for diners who value calm, focus, and a deliberate culinary narrative.
Situated within The Lava Rock, a visionary 9.4-hectare estate and leisure complex designed by Carlo Calma, the restaurant’s architecture—drawn from volcanic inspiration—reflects the connection between art and nature.
Under the culinary direction of Chele González and Rodrigo Osorio, Asador Alfonso celebrates ancestral Spanish cuisine with a contemporary interpretation, offering specialties such as suckling pig, lamb, and red prawns, along with signature creations like tawilis anchovies and house-cured A5 Wagyu ham. The experience is complemented by a carefully curated wine cellar featuring Spanish and international selections, and precise, attentive service led by Irene Fernández. Opened in 2024, Asador Alfonso provides a culinary journey connecting agriculture, gastronomy, and leisure, redefining the Spanish asador experience in the Philippines.
Within the same complex, Alfonso Roasting Room offers a more casual, à la carte concept designed for generosity and shared dining. Located on the ground floor, it provides a relaxed setting for everyday meals, family gatherings, or extended experiences enjoyed at a leisurely pace. The menu draws from the same Spanish roasting traditions, with open-fire cooking as its centerpiece and a Spanish oven at its heart, preparing iconic dishes like suckling pig and lamb, alongside a wider selection meant for sharing.
Without a fixed format, diners choose freely, share, and create their own experience. Under the same leadership team, Alfonso Roasting Room maintains the product and technique standards of Asador Alfonso, expressed in a more relaxed way. The result is honest, approachable, and generous cuisine, designed to be enjoyed collectively.
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MORE INFORMATION
Website:
www.gallerybychele.com
www.asadoralfonso.com
Social Media:
@gallerybychele
@asadoralfonso
@chefchelegonzalez
#gallerybychele
PRESS CONTACT
For interviews or further information:
Belén Lozada
Email: belenl@mateoandco.es
Phone: +34 644 12 16 45
