NEW YORK — Elcielo New York, a Colombian fine-dining multisensory experience by MICHELIN-starred Chef and Restaurateur, Juan Manuel “Juanma” Barrientos and international music icon J Balvin, opens in Fall/Winter 2025. The restaurant is ensconced in Virgin Hotels New York City at 1227 Broadway in Manhattan's fashionable NoMad neighborhood.

The restaurant pairs Chef Barrientos' groundbreaking cuisine and immersive dining experience with J Balvin's creative vision. Together, they take pride in their shared Colombian heritage and in bringing the future of their homeland's vibrant cultural offerings, from art to fine dining, to the country's narrative.

Bringing a MICHELIN-Starred Experience to the Big Apple

Elcielo New York is the fifth iteration of the concept, following Medellín, Bogotá, Washington, D.C. and Miami. The Washington, D.C., location was the first Colombian restaurant in history to earn a MICHELIN star, marking the highest recognition for the country's gastronomy. Miami followed with its own MICHELIN star the next year.

A First-of-Its-Kind Collaboration

Elcielo New York blends Colombian soul with the bold energy of New York City. Chef Barrientos' signature tasting menus are renowned for their emotional storytelling, interactive elements and reimagining of Colombian ingredients. They are further elevated by J Balvin's artistic direction and creative storytelling.

“Opening in New York is a dream come true, and doing so alongside J Balvin, my friend of 15 years and a fellow Medellín native, makes it even more meaningful,” says Chef Barrientos, Founder & Executive Chef, Elcielo Hospitality Group. “Often called the 'capital of the world,' New York City inspires us through its multiculturalism, creativity and dynamic energy. It challenges us to innovate

continuously, blending Colombian traditions with global techniques and trends. Its diverse food culture encourages experimentation. The use of locally sourced ingredients allows Elcielo to craft dishes that resonate with both the city's cosmopolitan audience and our restaurant's signature Colombian storytelling. The result is a menu that reflects the vibrancy, boldness and innovation of the city while staying true to Elcielo's cultural roots.”

Two Tasting Menus Take Guests on Culinary Adventures

Elcielo New York's dishes stand out thanks to a distinctive culinary philosophy called “Glocal,” think global, act local. This approach blends three key elements: the use of high-quality local ingredients sourced from New York State and surrounding regions; the deep influence of Colombian heritage, expressed through traditional flavors, indigenous ingredients such as chontaduro (peach palm), lulo, soursop, specialty corn varieties, coffee, chocolate and borojó (a superfruit), and cultural storytelling; and the application of sophisticated, world-class culinary techniques.

The result is a dining experience that feels simultaneously rooted and innovative, offering guests a unique fusion where locality, tradition and global gastronomy converge in each dish.

Elcielo New York offers two highly immersive tasting menus, The Experience (18 courses, $289 per person) and The Journey (8-10 courses, $189 per person).

• The Experience (ingredients change seasonally)
  • Guava & Anise Cerbatana - A salute to the Indigenous blowgun, with aguardiente and anise inside a glass tube closed with guava gelée
  • Feria de Flores - Inspired by the colors and fragrances of the Medellín Flower Festival, it offers miniature rice paper cones filled with pork, cilantro emulsion, potato purée and edible flowers
  • Aka Ebi Cucayo - A golden crust of rice topped with Skull Island prawns from Australia
  • Foie Gras & Borojó - A miniature tart filled with foie gras mousse, arugula emulsion and borojó, a Colombian superfruit purported to be an aphrodisiac
  • Corn Arepa with Butter - A classic Colombian mini arepa served with smoky butter
  • Norwegian Langoustine & Chontaduro - The delicate steamed crustacean is sided with a tropical chontaduro hollandaise sauce
  • Kampachi Patarasca - An ode to an Amazonian technique of cooking fish in leaves, with grilled kampachi paired with hearts of palm and chili purée, then wrapped in a preserved mustard leaf
  • Chocotherapy - An immersive childhood regression, with warm chocolate ganache being poured over the hands of guests, who are encouraged to lick their fingers, activating neurotransmitters in the brain that bring joy and fun to the table; ground coffee and sugar are then sprinkled on the hands to create an exfoliant, which is washed off with warm water

• Tree of Life - Inspired by the Amazonian rainforest's copperwood tree with its distinctive copper-hued bark, this house-made casabe, an ancestral indigenous bread made with yuca and fresh cheese, sits atop a copper wire sculpture suggesting a tree trunk and its branches
• Scallop Ceviche - A fresh Hokkaido scallop is delicately sliced and bathed in a gentle leche de tigre of lulo, melon, starfruit, vanilla and dill oil
• King Crab & Corn Chawanmushi - The regal seafood crowns a Japanese corn flan made with corn dashi, creating a sweet and savory dish
• Green Papaya - A palate cleanser with green papaya sorbet, Hawaiian papaya gel, papaya slices and green apple juice
• Bison, Chanterelle & Fermented Yuca - North Dakota bison is accompanied by fermented yuca purée, a jus enriched with chives and celery, and finished with hazelnuts, Burgundian black truffles and chanterelle mushrooms
• Duck & Passion Fruit - Shio koji-marinated duck breast is served with passion fruit hollandaise, celery root purée and fried celery root crisps
• Lemon Ants - A unique leafcutter ant ice cream straight from the Amazon; the ants graze on lemongrass and impart a citrusy flavor
• Mead, Mango & Golden Berries - Mead ice cream is sided with mango squash pastry cream, golden berry gel and wafer figurines
• Coffee Field - Freshly-ground Colombian coffee is brewed tableside via the exacting pour-over method for the ultimate degustation
• Petit Fours - Colombian coffee bonbons, filled with coffee foam and salted caramel pretzel, complement the coffee experience
• Rose Petals - A pair of Colombian rose petals joined by rose-scented lotion is offered to guests to rub between their hands as a parting ritual

• The Journey (ingredients change seasonally) - An abridged version of The Experience, offering its greatest hits to guests with less time

○     Guava & Anise Cerbatana; Feria de Flores; Foie Gras & Borojó; Corn Arepa with Butter; Kampachi Patarasca; Tree of Life; Scallop Ceviche; Duck & Passion Fruit; Mead, Mango & Golden Berries; and Rose Petals

“New York City always inspires me,” says J Balvin. “Partnering with Chef Juanma empowers me to share a piece of my culture on a global stage in a completely new way. This restaurant is our love letter to Colombia—its creativity, its flavors and, most of all, its vibrant people. I see Chef Juanma's cooking as a kind of culinary music that will resonate with Colombians, New Yorkers and visitors to the city. I'm so proud to be part of this restaurant and play an active role in shaping it. Beyond the creative expression, I'm also fascinated by the business side of Elcielo New York and what it takes to operate a successful restaurant at the highest echelon of quality and precision.”

A Worldly Wine List Embraces 16 Countries on Five Continents

The 300-label wine list, curated by Wine Director Ángel Guillén, spans Old World and New World bottlings from 16 countries on five continents. The countries represented include France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Greece, Lebanon, Cyprus, the U.S., Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Seasonally changing by-the-glass offerings range from $18 to $88, with bottles from $80 to $5,500. Guillén is joined by Senior Sommelier Diego Otálvaro and Sommelier Dustin Noga.

Evocative Cocktails Incorporate Advanced Techniques

Elcielo New York's cocktail program merges Colombian biodiversity with modern mixology and culinary innovation. Each cocktail is crafted as part of the restaurant's multisensory journey, connecting emotion, flavor and storytelling through indigenous Colombian ingredients and advanced techniques. The cocktail program was created by Brian Ipuz, in collaboration with Daniel Angueyra and Diego Otálvaro.

●     Signature Cocktails

• Don Juan - Andean Negroni, a white Negroni variation saluting Chef Juanma's father, featuring Tanqueray infused with golden berries, Salers Gentian, dry vermouth and garnished with a spoonful of golden berry sorbet, $23
• Don Jose - Northern Lights, a salute to J Balvin served in a wooden box that plays one of his songs when opened; it marries Ketel One Vodka, Chinola Pineapple Liqueur, acid-adjusted pineapple juice, lemongrass, basil syrup and riboflavin, which is activated when placed on the accompanying neon spotlight stand, $25
• Don Juanma - Garden Essence, a toast to Chef Juanma with Don Julio 70 Tequila infused with cilantro, rotary evaporator-clarified lulo, burnt orange and Cointreau foam, $26
• Doña Karolina - Tropical Sunset, named after Carolina Giraldo, a partner in the restaurant, it blends Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila, clarified salpicón (a Colombian fruit punch) and vanilla oil, $25
• Don Ángel - Up in the Sky, a salute to General Manager Ángel Guillén, it unites Bacan Aguardiente, thyme, soursop, yuzu and dry vermouth, $25
• Don Tomás - Milk Punch, a toast to Tomás Mejías, Director of Business Development, this silky clarified Milk Punch brings together mezcal infused with a chile blend, spiced demerara, tamarind and milk, $23
• Don Sebastián - Pacifico Martini, a Dirty Martini variation celebrating Executive Sous Chef Sebastián Moreno Henao, it mixes Grey Goose infused with toasted almonds with dry vermouth and a chontaduro distillate, $26
• Don Aristizabal - Colombian Trip, a tipple for Chef de Cuisine Juan David Aristizabal, this velvety Espresso Martini variation taps Ketel One Vodka fat-washed with caramel and popcorn, 11th Hour Coffee Liqueur, caramel and “Momento” Coffee, $25
• Doña Gloria - Take Me to Cartagena, a liquid tribute to Chef Juanma's mother, Gloria, it combines Mount Gay Silver Rum, Chinola Passion Fruit Liqueur, Vecchio del Capo, lime, tiki bitters and salted coconut foam, $23

●     Mocktails

• Salpicón, a mix of Colombian fruits, lime and club soda, $13
• Uchuva, clarified golden berries, pomelo extract and club soda, $13
• Guava, green guava, star anise and lemon verbena soda, $13

About Elcielo New York

Elcielo New York is a groundbreaking collaboration between MICHELIN-starred Chef Juan Manuel “Juanma” Barrientos and global music star J Balvin. Located in the Virgin Hotels New York City at 1227 Broadway in Manhattan, Elcielo New York is a culinary sanctuary, where the mastery of Colombian flavors is fused with the most cutting-edge cooking techniques, creating a symphony of unique aromas and textures. Each tasting menu at Elcielo New York is a sensory journey, meticulously crafted to elicit emotions and stimulate the senses. The stories are seamlessly intertwined with the artistic presentation, transforming every dish into a masterpiece. For more information, please visit elcielo.com.co/new-york, call (646) 878-3525 and follow us on Instagram at @elcielonewyork.

About Elcielo Hospitality Group

Founded by MICHELIN-starred Chef Juan Manuel “Juanma” Barrientos, Elcielo Hospitality Group is an award-winning global restaurant and hotel company based in Colombia, known for pioneering modern Colombian cuisine and delivering immersive, sensory-driven fine-dining experiences. Elcielo restaurants span Medellín and Bogotá in Colombia and New York, Washington, D.C. and Miami in the

U.S. The latter two have each earned MICHELIN stars, making Chef Barrientos one of the foremost culinary innovators in Latin America.

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