Spanish-born chef Chele Gonzalez is known for his creative dishes. Good food, great service, and new and creative ways of using local ingredients are also the hallmarks of his reputed restaurants.
“I would say that it was a calling for me,” he says when asked about why he decided to become a chef. “I studied marketing and business and opened a club at 21 years old. I was able to earn a good living and go to a lot of Michelin Star restaurants.” At a very early age, Gonzalez knew what stirred his emotions. “Since I was younger I was always very passionate about food and cooking,” he recounts. “To be good at food you need to really love it. And I think this love comes with a feel for cooking. So it made me happy, opened a lot of creativity within myself, and made me grow as a person as well. It is a love story.”
And this love affair with food eventually found its way to the Philippines when he first visited in 2009. “I came here on vacation in the Philippines and there was a strong energy because of the cultural aspect between Spanish and Filipinos that do have much in common,” he recounts. Gonzalez knows the Southeast Asian region well, having explored Thailand and China before experiencing the Philippines for the first time. “I was so amazed by how my culture is so different and also so connected with the Philippines during my first visit,” he adds. It was only a matter of time before inspiration took hold and Gonzalez decided to open up shop in the Philippines. The award-winning Gallery by Chele is one of the current outlets for his creativity.
“I will never say I do Filipino cuisine,” he clarifies. “I always make this clear: Gallery by Chele is not about Filipino cuisine — it is about the Philippines.” His inspiration lies in the local ingredients and the produce, their flavor profiles, the communities, and Filipino and Southeast Asian culture. “What we do is to also try things we think are inspired. We also create something from there. But, yes, we don’t see ourselves as a Filipino restaurant. But of course we really focus on the local produce.”
“We are always playing with local ingredients in a very particular and innovative way,” Gonzalez says. “I still have a very Western perspective because I’m foreign and I want to keep that credibility of mine. But I try to really use things and ingredients in a different way, and I think that is the personality of Gallery by Chele.”
And then there is the highly-anticipated Asador Alfonso, where Gonzalez is a co-owner alongside his long-time business partner and collaborator, Carlo Calma. This latest restaurant endeavor is located in Alfonso, Cavite, and its white concrete and glass architecture is inspired by Taal Volcano’s topography. Traditional Spanish-style cooking is the highlight here, but with Gonzalez’s signature style, of course.
‘I would say that it was a calling for me.’
Outside of the kitchen, Gonzalez also cut his teeth as a DJ. You would still catch him behind the decks from time to time, playing at popular Metro Manila nightspots. There is a lot of similarity between being a DJ and being a chef, he says. “To be a good DJ or a music artist you need to research a lot,” he explains. “You need to create your own style and your own sound. For that you need to listen to a lot of music to be able to choose what you feel is your own sound. Same with the food. You need to really develop a style of cooking that has a philosophy behind it. Both are very similar. Both are art expressions.”
When asked if there are similarities between crafting a menu and creating a DJ set, his answer is this: “Definitely, a DJ set is like a dinner experience. There comes a point where you have to connect with your audience and slowly, slowly bring them on a journey. It depends on where you play. If you play in a club the connection should be amazing and you can see how people are dancing and how you drive them. In a bar or a lounge it is more about the ambience. It is similar when you create a menu.”
But for Gonzalez, it is all about the quality of the selection of the electronic sounds that he chooses. “Sometimes you need to find songs that connect with the people,” he says. “Same when crafting a menu. Both are expressions where you are telling a story — through music or the food that you cook. It is all about creativity. There are a lot of things in common, I would say.”
Establishing a connection is also a unique Lexus trait. “Omotenashi” or the Lexus brand of unique Japanese hospitality that anticipates even the smallest needs of customers and guests, is something that the brand is known for.
In a Lexus, passengers and drivers are treated to surroundings and technology built by Takumi master craftsmen, with an attention to detail that cannot be found elsewhere. As with a menu’s ingredients, the curation of materials rooted in Japanese heritage is essential.
For example, the charismatic styling elements like Sashiko Stitching on the smooth leather is a traditional Japanese technique that dates back the olden times and is known for its strength. Washi trim inlays have the texture of Japanese sliding doors. Kiriko glass art ornamentation is also a Japanese craft that serves as the inspiration for the interior trim of top-of-the-line Lexus models. It is a deep level of curation like this — as evidenced by the choice of ingredients used in the crafted and artistic dishes and menus of Gonzalez — where Lexus and this renowned chef intersect.
We invite you to indulge in the current Lexus Electrified lineup which includes the IS, ES, LS, LBX, UX, NX, RZ, RX, and LM as you would the dishes of Chef Chele Gonzalez, and be prepared for an automotive and culinary experience like no other.