Twenty years after first crossing paths in the kitchens of elBulli, Chele González and Aitor Zabala reunited at the stoves in Manila.
TWO CHEFS, TWO CONTINENTS AND ONE SHARED STORY: THE REUNION OF CHELE GONZÁLEZ AND AITOR ZABALA.
The chefs behind Gallery by Chele* (Manila) and Somni*** (Los Ángeles) joined forces in the kitchen on October 9 and 10 for Evolution, a four-hands collaboration that brought their shared roots into dialogue with the regions that now define their respective cuisines.
Manila, October 13, 2026 — More than twenty years after first working alongside one another in the kitchens of elBulli, Chele González and Aitor Zabala reunited at the stoves in Manila. The occasion was Evolution, a four-hands collaboration held on October 9 and 10 at Gallery by Chele. More than a year in the making, the project culminated in two exclusive dinners, each welcoming just thirty guests.
The experience brought together two culinary journeys that began in the same kitchen but found their identities in different parts of the world. In the Philippines, González has developed a cuisine rooted in local ingredients, biodiversity and culinary traditions. Zabala, meanwhile, has built a culinary vision in California grounded in Catalan heritage and open to the gastronomic diversity of his surroundings.
The menu brought this dialogue to life through a sequence of dishes that opened with bites such as Almond Shell, Coca de Atún, Trufflecini, Uni Tartalet, Kare-Kare and Abalone Tostada. The journey continued with Pizza Margarita, White Squid and Gazpacho Blanco, followed by Pulpo Negro, Coco Crab, Santiguíño and Shiso Tartare. Pil-pil, quail with Iberian pork and the Quail Iberico creation paved the way for Coco Loco and Frutas y Cacao, before the experience concluded with the petits fours La Donuts and Champorado.
Beyond technique, Evolution brought together two distinct approaches to cooking: observing the land, recognising the value of its ingredients and reinterpreting them through a distinctive culinary identity. The Philippines and California thus became the two ends of a gastronomic conversation that remained firmly rooted in a shared origin.
The reunion transformed a story that began more than two decades ago into a new culinary experience. “We both went through something very similar,” González reflected, recalling how they had each had to start from scratch far from home and develop “their own language” in the kitchen. For the Cantabrian chef, Evolution represents a “magical” dialogue between two cuisines that “have a great deal in common.”
Zabala, for his part, highlighted the importance of memory in his cooking: “You always end up going back to the memory of that place, that moment, that meal, that first time.” Distance, too, has allowed both chefs to see their roots from a different perspective, with “a great deal of affection, so many memories and so much nostalgia,” yet “without being quite so closely tied to your own skin,” as the Catalan chef put it.
This shared vision gave shape to Evolution: a meeting of two culinary journeys, two territories and a common desire to push the boundaries of contemporary cuisine.
ABOUT CHELE GONZÁLEZ AND GALLERY BY CHELE
Chele González is a Spanish chef who has been based in the Philippines for more than a decade. At Gallery by Chele in Manila, he creates contemporary cuisine deeply rooted in the country’s ingredients, producers and culinary traditions. In 2025, the restaurant was awarded one Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star in recognition of its culinary offering and commitment to sustainability.
ABOUT AITOR ZABALA AND SOMNI
Aitor Zabala is the chef and co-owner of Somni in Los Angeles, California. Born in Barcelona, he built his career at some of Spain’s most influential restaurants before moving to the United States, where he spent a decade working alongside José Andrés as creative director of ThinkFoodGroup. In 2025, Somni was awarded three Michelin stars, seven months after reopening at its current location in West Hollywood.
PRESS CONTACT
>Images Gallery By Chele and Somni HERE<
PRESS CONTACT
Belen Lozada – belenl@mateoandco.es
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