Alfonso Roasting Room is Chef Chele Gonzalez' Pressure-Free Spanish Comfort Zone

Against the backdrop of all the attention and hullabaloo that comes with a coveted Michelin-star distinction, Chef Chele Gonzalez isn't worried about losing his head with the pressure to keep innovating or sustaining high-profile fine-dining concepts.

He still holds earnest Spanish hospitality at the center of his restaurants, and Alfonso Roasting Room sheds the high-brow fine-dining pressure that comes with an upscale getaway for an anxiety-free, family-focused casual, communal place to have comfort food.

Think of it as Spanish comfort food made with the finest ingredients straight from Gonzalez' homeland in a setting where you can loosen your collar without worrying about a meticulous and convoluted 10-course meal.

ALSO READ:

Eye-Opening Hispanic Cuisine from Asador Alfonso, El Chato

The Latest from Chef Chele Gonzalez: A Spanish Restaurant Without Tapas and Paella

The roasting room is just a floor below the Spanish heritage restaurant Asador Alfonso, a more formal affair that nabbed one Michelin star for melt-in-your-mouth, authentic dishes with ingredients sourced straight from Spain and the rustic depth you'd expect from Gonzalez and chef Rodrigo Andres Osorio.

The fine dining section of the property is centered around the six-course "Heritage" and 10-course "Journey" tasting menus that follow structured traditions and flows rather than improvisation.

Alfonso Roasting Room, on the other hand, is where à la carte meals take center stage without fixed formats or fancy tasting menus. Picture families sprawled across tables and groups sharing different comfort picks from Spain, with the occasional kids running around with unchained energy.

The star of the space is the imposing 8,000-kilo Maestro Spanish oven that also serves upstairs Asador Alfonso customers, churning out mouthwatering cochinillo and lamb—a true workhorse of culinary technology. The whole thing weighs as much as a car and anchors both restaurants.

Gonzalez told media he had to order the beast, which required its own shipping container and two Spanish craftsmen to fly in and assemble the oven on-site. Maestro ovens are built by a family who've been refining their craft for generations, and he says it's the only one in Asia.

"We realized we were hosting two very different kinds of guests: Some were looking for quiet and focus. Others came with families, kids, and a lot of energy. Trying to force both into the same room didn't work for anyone," Gonzalez told media at the ground floor of his Cavite restaurant. "Not everyone wants a fixed menu or a long format. Downstairs is about comfort. Good food, no pressure."

Alfonso Roasting Room's workhorse: the Maestro industrial oven

An exterior shot of Asador Alfonso in Cavite

So below are just a few dishes we got to try at the roasting room that evoke the rustic feeling you get from home-cooked Spanish meals.

We first tried the Pulpo a la Plancha—grilled octopus with cauliflower puree and lime—which was a textural experience marked by char-kissed tentacle that was surprisingly silky when topped off with the caramelization process.

While octopus isn't really the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Spanish food, the flavors were distinctly Spanish with the fresh greens and peppery aftertaste of the sea creature.

Pulpo a la Plancha

We also had the Escalivada, a Catalan classic involving wood-fired roasted vegetables with goat cheese, almonds, and romesco sauce for a tangy and creamy symphony.

This is definitely a creative use of the behemoth Maestro oven, since you would usually associate fire-based meals with meat. The smoky, nutty, and surprisingly sweet blend of vegetables is a seasonal dish you should be on the lookout for if you happen to swing by the roasting room

Escalivada

Now we're getting to the meat of the roasting room, which is no-nonsense comfort food with pedigree.

The Lechazo is slow-roasted suckling lamb served with green salad from Gonzales' own farm at the compound. He does away with elaborate plating here in favor of just exceptional lamb straight from Segovia (which isn't cheap) for a golden, glistening dish for the whole family.

The aural bliss you get happens exactly when you take that first bite of the milk-fed lamb that is impossibly tender. Think of ordering this and cochinillo to die for, and you're all set for a religious experience you would assume would only be possible if you were to fly to Spain yourself.

Lechazo: slow-roasted suckling lamb served with green salad from the Alfonso Roasting Room's farm

Gonzalez' unforeseen evolution with Asador Alfonso actually started out as a pandemic passion project that did not involve a goal to set up a fine dining restaurant—it was all because of the demand for one.

The seasoned Spanish chef said he knew it was time to make the separation between both restaurants official to quell the two casual and fine dining identities that needed to be reconciled. The entire venue has 39 weddings locked in for next year and even future plans to expand the existing farm.

Gonzalez leaves out his innovation impulses when working on Asador Alfonso, since he typically does all that culinary brainiac behavior for his other one-star Michelin restaurant Gallery Vask in Bonifacio Global City.

"I don't want to really try to do new flavor profile or mix it with Asian flavors," he insists. "Because if don't, then the soul of the restaurant will be gone."

So what does he do now to build on his meteoric 2025? The chef simply said he needs to enjoy the one Michelin star and to keep the heritage and tradition of Spanish cooking.

He isn't necessarily chasing another Michelin star just yet and wants the two-pronged restaurant concept to settle in a bit since the chef is in it for the long haul.

"I see this place growing a lot. I see myself also spending time here... Maybe in five to ten years, I will see a beautiful cellar where people can go before even they sit at the table and have something there," Gonzalez reflected.

"I think, you know, with the time, we will be able to go to a different level. But no rush."

READ MORE:

Eye-Opening Hispanic Cuisine from Asador Alfonso, El Chato

At Gallery by Chele, Coconut as You’ve Never Had it Before

Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez Welcomes New Spanish Chef de Cuisine