Chele Gonzalez

The Path

Training at Andra culinary school gave Chele Gonzalez the technical base that shows up in the work itself: discipline in the setup, precision in execution, and a finished plate that stays controlled without becoming rigid. Those habits still read clearly in his cooking. As Executive Chef of Gomtang Lab since 2024, he guides the kitchen with a contemporary register that keeps the restaurant pointed forward while holding to craft.

The Work Today

His work is also connected to Cantabria by Chele Gonzalez in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, a separate venue recognized by MICHELIN as Selected. There, the cooking is pitched differently, but it still carries the same measured intent: the kitchen hand remains visible in the structure of the meal, from the first plate through to the last. In Seoul, his name is associated with Gomtang Lab, where the restaurant’s Collagen Beef Bone Soup helps define the house. The dish gives the menu its center of gravity, building a sense of depth and concentration through a single signature that draws the kitchen toward clarity.

Signature

Chele's signature dishes include Collagen Beef Bone Soup and Parmesan Cheesecake. Together, they show two ends of the same kitchen discipline: one built on savory focus and weight, the other on a cleaner, softer close.

In Their Words “My cooking style and philosophy is influenced by my origin, my childhood, and dishes that I was able to eat growing up, and my exposure to Basque cuisine.” “A chef should always be curious, just like a kid who is always looking for something new, eyes are always open and alive, and passionate.” The frame here is clear: a cook shaped by early food memory, broadened by Basque cuisine, and kept moving by curiosity. That combination explains the balance in the work—personal reference without sentimentality, and technique that keeps making room for new information.

Acclaim

Chele's honors include MICHELIN Bib Gourmand (2024).