This Indulgent 10-Course Meal Brings the Flavors of Spain and the Philippines Together

Jose Luis Gonzalez—or better known by his nickname Chele—is perhaps one of the most well-known chefs active in the culinary landscape that is Manila. Born in the town of Torrelavega in the Cantabria region of Spain, Gonzalez spent time as a DJ before finding his calling in the kitchen as a master chef. After stints in Michelin-starred restaurants in his native country, he found himself working at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza shortly before a powerful typhoon caused major damage to the hotel that it had to be shut down for a few months. 

Chef Chele Gonzalez

Photo by Gallery by Chele.

The chef would have moved on to another city or country, but an opportunity to design a menu and run an inventive new restaurant concept in Bonifacio Global City made Gonzalez stick around. It’s been 11 years, and while the restaurant has since morphed into what is now Gallery by Chele, the philosophy of presenting the freshest ingredients and combining the culinary traditions of his native and adoptive countries onto the plate remain. The restaurant has since received multiple accolades from local and international bodies, cementing its status as the place you want to go whether you’re from out of town, celebrating something, or just want to experience a truly remarkable meal.

But like everybody else Gonzalez and his Gallery were not spared by the effects of the pandemic. With in-person dining shut down during the most intense months of the crisis, the chef decided to pack his bags and spend some time in his home country. The experience was nothing short of special, and was the inspiration for a one-of-a-kind tasting menu that he’s offering to diners as soon as restrictions were lifted and the pleasures of communal dining were once again allowed.

Rabas Roll or fried calamari on a brioche bun served with anchovy and parsley mayo, and Tortilla de Patata

Photo by PJ Cana.

Pulpo a la Gallega, and Cebu Lechon Croquetas

Photo by PJ Cana.

Pastrami Pintxo

Photo by PJ Cana.

"From summer to winter, as I revisited my village in north—in Cantabria, I was able to reunite with my family (especially with my 89-year-old mother who enjoys food as much as I do), my land, my heritage, and what I have known for most of my life as comfort food,” he shares in the note presented to diners. “Surprisingly though, my perspective of that cuisine has completely changed. Now I feel a distinct difference—a renewed interest and a fresh point of view. It was ironic how I missed Asian food but was just as excited to rediscover each and every special dish from that part of the world.”

Instead of escorting guests to their table, waitstaff will usher them first to the bar, where they are presented with photographs of the region that Chef Chele took himself. A drink called Kalimucho (a mix of red wine, fresh juice, cola, rum, and mango and ginger shrub) is served along with two sets of amuse bouche: Rabas Roll or fried calamari on a brioche bun served with anchovy and parsley mayo, and Tortilla de Patata—Gonzales’s interpretation of a Spanish Omelet in one bite.

Raw, or Tuna Carpaccio topped with Green Chilies and Gazpacho Sorbet

Photo by PJ Cana.

Huevos con Jamon

Photo by Gallery by Chele.

A set of tapas follows as diners watch the kitchen staff work right in front of them: Gambas al Ajillo, Pulpo a la Gallega, and Cebu Lechon Croquetas, all of which are as lip-smacking and satisfying as they sound.

After the starters, guests will be escorted to “San Sebastian,” or the private dining room, where there is another round of tastings (while standing up) of bite-sized portions meant to further whisk them off to the exotic landscapes of northern Spain. There’s Pastrami Pintxo—divine homemade pastrami on sourdough bread—and a Crab Meringue that just crumbles delicately in the mouth.

All this and the meal itself hasn’t even started yet.

Finally diners are seated at their “final destination,” which is their actual tables. Gonzalez calls the menu Re-Encounters, which he says is all about “bringing my homes together: the home where I was born and raised, and the home that I chose.” At 10 courses, it’s a bit daunting, especially after the sets of starters that came before, but you realize that this is one man sharing some of the most intimate details about his life through his food, and you can’t help but feel curiosity and anticipation, followed by respect and awe at the meal that’s about to come.

Hybrid

Photo by Gallery by Chele.

Salsa Verde

Photo by Gallery by Chele.

It starts with a raw dish: Tuna Carpaccio topped with Green Chilies and a Gazpacho Sorbet, followed by Pil Pil, or Gonzalez’s take on a famous Basque dish that uses bangus belly in place of bacalhao or codfish. Both are packed with flavor that’s simultaneously novel and familiar. 

There’s Huevos con Jamon, a decadent egg dish inspired by one Gonzalez’s mother served him growing up. A generous helping of truffles shaved over the dish tableside adds to the lavishness of what is, in truth, a very simple dish. It’s followed by a concoction called Hybrid, which is essentially “adobong pusit” conflated with the Spanish fixture calamares en su tinta. The taste is intense, but if you like the cephalopod marinated in its own ink with ginger and vinegar, this dish will not disappoint.

Salsa Verde is white snapper doused in a green sauce made with sayote and parsley, which precedes a definite highlight of the meal: a course called Montañes, which is a version of another popular Cantabrian delicacy. The dish is actually split into two: a mix of pork, beef, and chicken and Morcilla or blood sausage delicately wrapped in kale over a puree of white beans then drenched with a viscous broth, and a blood sausage “ball” and chorizo brioche. If I had to pick one dish from the entire meal that thoroughly encapsulates the journey that Gonzalez would like to share with his diners, Montañes would be it. 

Montañes

Photo by PJ Cana.

Txuleta

Photo by Gallery by Chele.

But this is only number six in a 10-course meal, and those that follow are no less exciting or memorable. A quick palate cleanser (Macedonia) of sorbet and chilled fruits leads to the meat course (Txuleta)—or the typical steak and potatoes served with a bell pepper confit. Two desserts follow: Sobao or Cantabria Cake, which is served with forest berries and milk ice cream; and a slice of Gonzalez’s stellar Burnt Basque Cheesecake, which is served with grated truffle and Chantilly cream.

That could be the end of it, but the chef chooses to add a trio of sweets in case the last two leaves diners lacking. There’s Sago Con Leche, Quesada, and Corte De Flan, all of which can be devoured in one or two bites.

Sobao or Cantabria Cake

Photo by PJ Cana.

Burnt Basque Cheesecake, served with Grated Truffle and Chantilly Cream

Photo by PJ Cana.

Sago Con Leche, Quesada

Photo by PJ Cana.

After 300 years of Spanish rule, there is undoubtedly a deep connection that runs between the two countries, especially with the kind of food many of us now enjoy not just during special occasions, but in our everyday lives. What Gonzalez has done in this tasting course is to dig deeper and cast a wider net to share even more of the cuisine of his heritage to people who can appreciate recognizable ingredients and flavors in ingenious ways to create complex and unexpected new flavors. When he calls this menu a journey, it's almost quite literal. The diner is taken to unfamiliar yet pleasant terrains through the imagination and skill of a bicultural genius. It's an experience more than just a simple meal. Clearly it’s a labor of love from someone who is bringing flavors inspired by the home of his birth to the home of his choosing. 

Re-Encounters is available at Gallery by Chele until June 2022. Guests can choose between a 10-course tasting menu for P4,400++ or a six-course tasting menu for P3,400++. Wine, cocktail and non- alcoholic beverage pairing options are available. Gallery by Chele is located at the fifth floor of Clipp Center, 11^th Avenue corner 39^th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.