THE RESTAURANT
If it’s true that the first bite is with the eyes, Le Chique at Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun is a feast in every sense. A Latin American’s Best Top 50 Restaurant, is a must stop for foodies traveling to the Riviera Maya. From the moment you arrive, the seductive décor offers a visceral taste of what’s to come – an experiential, multi-sensory dining adventure that will challenge any notions of how fine cuisine should look, feel and taste. To call Le Chique part restaurant, part house of mirrors isn’t far fetched. This is modernist cuisine, where nothing is as it seems.
Foods are deconstructed then reconstructed to resemble something else. Spheres are cocktails. Entrées masquerade as dessert. In fact, everything on Le Chique’s seasonal tasting menu was designed to puzzle, amuse and amaze you. Cuisine this inventive deserves to be put on a pedestal, which is precisely how it’s served – atop a pedestal, within a hollowed-out book, resting on a sling. All this by impresario waiters who seem to enjoy the spectacle as much as you do. Behind this pageantry is Chef Jonatán Gómez Luna and his talented culinary team, who’ve mastered the art and science of cooking to achieve astounding new flavors, textures and shapes. Add a focus on regional ingredients, sustainable growing practices and available wine pairings, and you have a dining experience that’s both a visual feast and culinary triumph.
*A Surcharge is applied as Le Chique Restaurant is not part of the Gourmet All-Inclusive Experience, surcharge applies to all hotel guests.
TEAM
JONATHAN GÓMEZ LUNA
chef
ALEJANDRO VILLAGRAMA PÉREZ
head chef
THE TEAM
JONATHAN GÓMEZ LUNA
chef
Chef Jonatán Gómez Luna is an award-winning chef who has forged his culinary talents at globally acclaimed restaurants. As Executive Chef of Le Chique, Chef Jonatán blends cutting-edge modernist techniques with sheer showmanship to transform food into unforgettable sensory experiences for his clientele. “We go to great lengths to create a memorable experience for our guests through bold, fun, cutting-edge cuisine using the most innovative cooking techniques and fresh and authentic Mexican ingredients.”
I have dined twice at Le Chique restaurant. The cooking of Jonatan Gomez and its team is smart, creative and tasty. His constant desire of modernizing the Mexican cooking by using new techniques is to me very meritorious. I also want to acknowledge the dedication that he has for his land by always putting forward the products from Yucatán Peninsula. I sincerely believe that Le Chique restaurant is a model of the evolution of cooking that is emerging all around the world and that our succession is in good hands in this institution. They even mentor students from all over the world including Canada.
- Daniel Vezina *Restaurant Laurie y Raphael, Canada 50 best restaurants*
ALEJANDRO VILLAGRAMA PÉREZ
head chef
Alejandro Villagrana Pérez was born in Mexico City. He studied Management and Culinary Arts at Centro Culinario Ambrosia, during which time he also interned at Le Cirque in New York City. Upon completing his studies, he was invited to work as a Sous Chef at the Eurostars Blue Tulum Hotel. Towards the latter part of 2008, Alejandro joined the Le Chique team as Chef de Cuisine. In 2010, he traveled to Chicago to further his professional skills at Chef Grant Achatz’s Alinea, considered by many to be one of the finest restaurants in the world. Along with Chef Jonatán Gómez Luna, Alejandro has participated in various world-caliber congresses, events and gastronomical conferences such as Madrid Fusión México and the Wine & Food Festival in Riviera Maya. He is also a key member of the Research and Development team at the Le Chique.
Conozco a Jonatán desde el primer día que entro a una cocina, por su trabajo y lo que ha logrado en todos estos años solo me viene una frase a la cabeza…En el riesgo del intento se encuentra la recompensa del hallazgo.
- Rene Redzepi *Noma, best restaurant in the world’s 50 best of San Pellegrino List*
THE TEAM
Since the beginning, Le Chique has defied convention and pushed boundaries. Modernist cuisine calls for modern day thinking, where “what if…” becomes “let’s try.” At its core, Le Chique is home to one of the most unconventional kitchen staffs in all of Mexico. Today, 60% of our kitchen staff is made up of interns. Individually and together as a team, they help Chef Jonatán Gómez Luna create the daily culinary delights that continue to thrill and enchant our guests. At Le Chique, we firmly believe that the future of the restaurant industry is in the hands of open-minded young people, those who are passionate and in love with their profession and their work. Our philosophy of sharing, teaching and growing is something from which we will never deviate. And because we are always looking for talent to intern or to join our team, we invite you to submit your CV.
Join the team –[email protected]
GALLERY
Summer Season
PRESS & AWARDS
MEXICO FOOD AND TRAVEL
2019 Readers Award for Best Hotel Restaurant in Mexico
2019 LATIN AMERICA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS BY HE WORLD’S 50 BEST
Ranked #32 out of 50 Restaurants
2018 LATIN AMERICA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS BY THE WORLD’S 50 BEST
Ranked #34 out of 50 Restaurants
FIVE DIAMOND AWARD WINNER
Le Chique Restaurant 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MEXICAN SOUTHEAST
With avant-garde preparations, like the ones he's used to, chef Jonatan Gómez Luna participates for the first time at Millesime México 2012.
TWO GASTRONOMIC GEMS IN CANCÚN
Le Chique, part of the Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun, of experimental cuisine by the Mexican chef Jonatán Gómez.
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Wine Spectator’s Awards of Excellence at Le Chique restaurant, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017
¡LARGA VIDA AL CHEF!
Chef Gómez won the Toronto Iron Chef at the Hot and Spicy Food festival
TRAVEL + LEISURE MEXICO
Travel + Leisure Mexico Names Le Chique at to Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun by Karisma Winner of the 2012 Gourmet Award for Best Tasting Menu
A UNIQUE RESTAURANT IN MEXICO
Sunk in the Hotel Karisma located in the direction of Playa del Carmen, Le Chique is the clearest example of what can be achieved by applying avant-garde techniques in the kitchen.
Sin duda, el arte de cocinar se determina por talento, creatividad, técnica, pasión y, en la actualidad, mucho atrevimiento… Reconozco que Jonatán ha hecho de Le Chique el lugar de México para los atrevidos en la cocina… y en la sala.
- Roberto Gutiérrez *Editor General de Travel and Leisure Mexico*