Havana/“Every chef’s dream is to have a Michelin star,” he tells Fox News Digital the Cuban Osmel González, co-owner of the Emelina restaurant, which last May was awarded the most famous culinary recognition in the world. “This recognition is for the Cuba we remember and the Cuba we imagine,” he stressed to the Chicago-based agency, PR Newswire.
“This star belongs to all the Cuban chefs who preceded us and to my grandmother Emelina, whose name is on our door,” added the man who four years ago opened the culinary space, which becomes the first Cuban restaurant in the world to receive this distinction. The challenge is clear for González: “Retaining this star is what really involves hard work.”
“Cuban gastronomy has waited a long time for this moment,” chef Camila Salazar told the same agency. “We are deeply grateful to be a part of it.”
The Cuban chef and his wife, Camila Salazar, are in charge of the restaurant that operates under the concept of APM Restaurant Group, founded by Venezuelan restaurateur Álvaro Pérez Miranda, in collaboration with Welteroth Property Group within the Flamingo Park district of West Palm Beach.
González, 36, who spent the first 22 years of his life on the island, affirms that for decades the communist regime has slowed down the country’s culinary development. “What has prevented (Cuban cuisine) from evolving is simply the revolution that took place in the country,” where for 67 years, “people have been struggling to get food.”
González, 36, who spent the first 22 years of his life on the island, affirms that for decades the communist regime has slowed down the country’s culinary development.
Beef stands out on Emelina’s menu, a deliberate choice because many Cubans had little access to it. This ingredient “was never part of our usual diet. Here we decided to present it in a way that we believe we could eat on the Island.”
“Most of the ingredients come from South Florida to tell a unique story,” the Michelin Guide has highlighted. “Poached local oysters with cassava foam and mushroom powder demonstrate refinement, while cherry tomatoes with Cuban oregano chimichurri and macadamia milk foam show how simple ingredients can shine.”
González affirms that they are not trying to reinvent Cuban food. “We are here to dream a little and bring that food that we love so much to this journey of creativity.” Additionally, West Palm Beach’s dining scene continues to grow, so Emelina’s success is just the beginning.
“I think in five years there will be many more chefs like us who will move to the area and do their part,” he said.
