Barrientos has one Michelin star at two Elcielo locations, one in Washington, D.C., as well as his stunning location in Miami. These were the very first Colombian Restaurants to be included in the prestigious French guide that recognizes and recommends the best gastronomic experiences in the world.
Chef Juanma Barrientos and his team are made up of 100% Colombian talent and centered in the heart of Miami’s downtown and financial district. Since 2015, Elcielo Miami has offered guests a modern culinary experience rooted in Colombian cuisine. Chef Juanma and his team take cooking techniques to new heights and makes fine dining an experience like no other. This Miami location was his first-ever U.S. location, with the original Elcielo back in his hometown of Medellin, Colombia. They now continue to create a sensory experience with one-of-a-kind flavors and textures that blows the minds of every restaurant guest.
“It is very valuable to have ratified this Michelin star at Elcielo Miami, in addition to the ones we obtained in Washington DC in 2021 and 2022. It is a recognition of our corporate culture and the excellence in the experiences we provide in each of our restaurants in the United States and Colombia. Elcielo Miami, for more than eight years, has been a pioneer of high-level gastronomy in South Florida, offering tasting menus and fine dining in Florida, which before was something very new and little known in the area, where diners for years preferred the more relaxed and festive atmospheres. With the arrival of the important Michelin guide in the region, a tide of new openings has been awakened where most of the world's leading chefs want to open offices in the city, which will be done by Massimo Bottura himself, among many others.” explains chef Barrientos.
The Medellin-born chef has more than a few tricks up his sleeve, and just last week, he attended the Miami F1 Grand Prix and cooked alongside some of the most highly regarded chefs, such as Massimo Bottura, putting on a $6,000-per-seat dining experience.
Elcielo Miami is known for its inventive 20-course menu coined THE EXPERIENCE. Again creating a sensory experience is essential to Chef Juanma and his team, and that's what this meal is all about. The dinner is priced at $259 per person and served in a room that transports you to a new world. The restaurant was designed by Barrientos and his family, making it an intimate setting that represents the Colombian soul and two of his favorite things, cooking, and family.
In addition to the 20-course menu, there is a Bar Experience that costs $120 per person and offers guests a 4-step cocktail paring that's playful and delicious.
After Chef Juanma’s many years of studying gastronomy worldwide and pulling off more than 14-hour workdays every day, it continues to show that all this hard work means something. He isn’t a one-trick pony and is here to entice everyone's taste buds.
"This is a huge deal and honor not only for our restaurant group but the city of Miami, as Michelin typically only reviews dining rooms in cities like Paris, New York, and Singapore, which are renowned for their refined culinary scene; but now Miami is finally getting recognized as an
important food scene as the city continues flourishing with international tourists and residents," says Chef Juanma.
