Chef Gilberto Briceño

Gilberto Briceño ​was born in Alajuela in 1993. He spent most of his childhood surrounded by water apple and jocote trees, playing with neighbors and picking fruits from the highest part of the trees. His mom and dad taught him the importance of eating well and having a healthy lifestyle. Sundays were special. The family met at home to celebrate anything — any excuse was good for simply coming together to eat outdoors.

Briceño earned a bachelor's degree in gastronomy and ultimately obtained a hospitality diploma from Le Cordon Bleu, but he ​was never a fan of the conventional education system, believing that to really learn something, it is not enough to have seen it in class, but you have to "get your hands dirty.” So, just after finishing his university degree, he ventured to travel the world in search of experiences in high-level kitchens. He left home with a backpack full of knives, the clothes on his back and USD $200.

Briceño’s cooking style is very simple: He investigates and identifies with the environment around him, and then integrates wild elements into his dishes. His style is very minimalist, but with complex flavors.