Originally from the northern regions of Spain, chef José Luis “Chele” Gonzalez has left an indelible mark on the Philippines’s culinary scene and shows no signs of slowing down. Following a radical career shift, the veteran DJ honed his new craft in some of the world’s best kitchens: El Bulli, Mugaritz, and El Celler de Can Roca, to name a few. González later flew to the Philippines on what was intended to be a short vacation and decided to make the big move.

Gonzalez’s expertise in traditional Spanish cuisine is well-established, as evidenced by earlier concepts, but it was his fascination with Filipino cuisine that put him on the map. Taking inspiration from endemic Filipino ingredients and local techniques, Gonzalez marries tradition with innovation to present his modern interpretation of Filipino food. This philosophy led his restaurant, Gallery VASK, to debut on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2016, and it continues to be the driving force of his current fine dining establishment, Gallery by Chele.

The year 2022 was momentous for the chef: apart from curating new tasting menus and engaging in collaboration dinners at his flagship restaurant, Gonzalez brought Deli by Chele and Chef Chele’s Kitchen beyond the digital realm with new brick-and-mortar shops. Gonzalez also opened the doors to two restaurants, Sea. Food by Chele Gonzalez in Boracay and Samira by Chele Gonalez in Tagaytay, and established Adviche F&B Solutions, a new consulting firm where he serves as the creative culinary director.

In recognition of these accomplishments, Gonzalez’ was awarded Tatler Dining’s highly coveted Chef of the Year title in 2023. Restless and sprightly as ever, the charismatic personality celebrated ten years of Gallery by Chele in November 2023, bringing patrons exciting collaborations with top chefs worldwide—an anniversary extravaganza that kicked off in June with chef Sun Kim of Meta, Singapore. Amidst it all, González found the time to launch Medium Rare, an event series that fuses his two creative pursuits: cooking and DJing.