Interview between Fine Dining Table and Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos of El Cielo Miami

Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos is a renowned Colombian chef, famous for his avant-garde approach to cooking and for blending traditional Colombian ingredients with modern and international techniques. Born in Medellín, he began his culinary career at the age of 19. He studied cooking in Buenos Aires and Colombia and had the opportunity to train under notable chefs like Hugo Okomiyama and Juan Mari Arzak, both of whom influenced his culinary style. At 24, Barrientos founded El Cielo, a restaurant that has garnered worldwide recognition, with locations in Medellín, Bogotá, Miami, and Washington D.C. El Cielo in Miami and Washington have both been awarded Michelin stars, placing his gastronomic proposal at the pinnacle of international fine dining.

Barrientos is known for his creativity and his ability to break the mold in the kitchen, combining European, Japanese, and Colombian techniques. Beyond his success in gastronomy, he is an entrepreneur committed to social causes through the El Cielo Foundation, which works with former combatants of the Colombian armed conflict, offering them culinary training and job opportunities. His culinary approach goes beyond the conventional, offering sensory experiences through innovative dishes and unique moments, such as “chocolate therapy,” where diners wash their hands with chocolate. Barrientos remains a key figure in promoting Colombian cuisine globally.

Fine Dining Table: Hello, we’re here at El Cielo Miami with Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, who has been awarded two Michelin stars, both in Miami and Washington. Tell us a little about yourself, Juan Manuel. How did your passion for cooking arise, and what motivated you to specialize in gastronomy?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: Well, I started in the kitchen when I was 19, and now I’m 41. I moved to Buenos Aires to study cooking, also studied in Colombia, and had the opportunity to work with Hugo Okomiyama and Juan Mari Arzak. At 24, I opened the first El Cielo in Medellín. I’ve always felt a passion for cooking and creativity. I love breaking the rules and proposing new dishes. Cooking has been my greatest passion, and I get a lot of inspiration from traveling, discovering flavors and techniques, and then interpreting them in a new way.

Fine Dining Table: El Cielo is known for fusing modern techniques with traditional Colombian ingredients. How would you describe your approach to cooking?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: Our approach has always been to explore the Colombian territory, understand local ingredients, and draw inspiration from them. We combine both traditional and cutting-edge techniques to create dishes that are part of a tasting menu, which aims to offer diners a complete experience.

Fine Dining Table: What are the key influences on your cooking, both personally and professionally?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: My main influences are Colombian cuisine, modern cooking techniques that emerged in Europe over the past 20-25 years, and Japanese cuisine. My first mentor was a Japanese chef, and his minimalist approach and precision with ingredients left a deep impact on me.

Fine Dining Table: What learnings or experiences from the places you’ve traveled have impacted you the most?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: I’d say three major lessons. From Japanese cuisine, I learned minimalism, purity, and the importance of each ingredient. Then, in Europe, I absorbed restoration techniques, especially from French, Italian, and Spanish cuisine. Finally, in Colombia, I researched our ingredients, traveled around the country, and started applying both local and Japanese and European techniques.

Fine Dining Table: How do you decide what emotions or sensations you want diners to experience with each dish?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: There are many emotions you can evoke, like surprise or gastronomic memory. I like playing with the customer’s expectations, sometimes hiding a flavor in a dish for them to discover later. For me, what’s important is creating an experience with the tasting menu, like a rollercoaster of flavors and emotions.

Fine Dining Table: How has your cuisine evolved since opening El Cielo in Miami? What changes have you noticed in diners’ expectations?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: I’ve matured as a chef. I’ve been in the kitchen for over 32 years now, and I’ve learned to understand clients better. I always strive to improve technique, delve deeper into our culinary roots, and keep innovating with new proposals.

Fine Dining Table: What are the biggest challenges you face running a restaurant like El Cielo in such a diverse city as Miami?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: The biggest challenge is keeping the kitchen and service team constantly inspired. Initially, it was also challenging to educate both diners and the team about our avant-garde Colombian cuisine style. But it’s been a beautiful challenge that we continue to tackle with enthusiasm.

Fine Dining Table: How do you see the future of Latin American cuisine on the global scene?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: More than the future, I see the present. Latin American cuisine—whether Mexican, Peruvian, or Colombian—is very well positioned. Every restaurant that succeeds outside its home country is helping promote the gastronomy of the entire region, and that’s a positive thing.

Fine Dining Table: Colombia has a lot to offer in terms of gastronomy. What do you think is missing for it to be recognized globally like Peruvian or Mexican cuisine?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: It just needs time. What we’re doing now is very positive, but it’s a process that requires patience and discipline. We must keep working, opening more restaurants, and promoting our ingredients.

Fine Dining Table: You have a strong commitment to social causes through your El Cielo Foundation. How did this initiative come about?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: Seventeen years ago, we started the foundation, training people who had been part of the Colombian armed conflict. We teach them about non-violence and cooking, giving them the opportunity to intern at El Cielo.

Fine Dining Table: What has been your most impactful creation?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: I’d say “chocolate therapy,” which isn’t a dish but a moment where customers wash their hands with chocolate. It has evoked strong emotions in diners and has been a disruptive experience that we’ve done over a million and a half times.

Fine Dining Table: What are El Cielo’s future plans? Would you like to expand into Europe?

Juan Manuel Barrientos: I would love to, but for now, we’re focused on opening the second El Cielo hotel in Bogotá and on the three new restaurants coming up. We’ve also just opened Cartagena by Chepo Alma in Miami Beach.

Fine Dining Table: To conclude, invite our readers to experience El Cielo in Miami.

Juan Manuel Barrientos: I invite you to come to El Cielo Miami, in Brickell, and also to visit Cartagena by Chepo Alma in Miami Beach. You are always welcome!