A contemporary Colombian bistro that honors the raw material suppliers it works with, applying its established techniques to bring out the flavor of the land, so rich and fertile. Expect a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, in keeping with Cavijo's goal of offering diners a high-but, above all, relaxed and accessible gastronomic adventure.
Cover photo: AFP
The story.
First time in Colombia? You will most likely land in the capital city of Bogotá, and it is here that you can begin to discover the many forms of this wonderful country's cuisine. Where? In the restaurant El Chato (a Bogotan word used by grandparents with affection toward their grandchildren, “chaticos”) of chef Álvaro Clavijo, who, from 2017 to the present, has made this address a must-visit destination for every gastronome traveler and edible culture throughout the country. Just named “Best Restaurant in Colombia” by Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants 2024 (25th in the world ranking) and coming out with his latest menu, we paid him a visit to discover his whole world so far from ours, but not so far.
Álvaro Clavijo was born and raised in Colombia, he is from Bogotá so we can call him a “rolo” as they say in this area, his path began at the Hofmann Hospitality School in Barcelona and continued at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. For seven years he cut his teeth and honed his skills in prestigious starred restaurants in Paris, gaining a deep respect for technique and quality in the absolute sense. He then worked at Per Se and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in New York, before joining the innovative team at Noma in Denmark, where he solidified his focus on using local ingredients while also being able to unleash his flair.
Despite his vast experience, however, he decided that it was not the most appropriate size - he wanted virtues and prejudices associated with him to live in his country, so he returned to Bogotá (in the up-and-coming Chapinero Alto neighborhood) and used his savings to open El Chato in 2017, together with his former partner (and mother of his daughter) Luisa.
The restaurant
The vision was clear: to redefine Colombian gastronomy and place it on the world map, and this is where his style took over, combining European discipline with Latin creativity, capable of being reflected in each dish, transforming it into an experience that transcends gastronomy. That year triggered the rise of this contemporary Colombian bistro that pays homage to the raw material suppliers it works with, applying its established techniques to bring out the flavor of Colombia's rich and fertile soil. Expect a friendly and welcoming atmosphere in keeping with Cavijo's goal of offering diners a high, but above all, relaxed and accessible gastronomic adventure.
From the very beginning, working closely with small Colombian producers, ensuring dishes rich in taste and quality, while supporting the development of local agriculture, has been firm. Our meeting began precisely with a visit to a farm outside Bogotá, the Tagua finca of the enlightened young farmer Juan Camilo Tamayo, eleven snow-white hectares from where some of the best ingredients used in the cuisine of El Chato (and in Selma, an adjacent restaurant with a more easy-going, share-and-go format but just as worthy) come.
“My goal has always been to represent Colombia with pride and creativity at every meal served,” Clavijo says. Committed to redefining local flavors, he regularly explores his country in search of new products to include in the a la carte menus on the entrance level and in the upstairs tasting (which has been used only for the past two years). Always keeping in mind seasonality, and thus creating dishes of authentic flavor that enhance the ingredients of his land such as chicken hearts with candied native potatoes and suero costeño (fermented milk dressing), mussels with coconut rice and the vegetable root arracacha, lobster with tamarind and ants. The great product veracity is also found in the bar's varied drink list from which come very interesting liquid recipes to enrich the menu.
The Kitchen
A menu, we were saying, freshly created and available for just a month. The stylistic signature is always the same, maximum three ingredients, sharpness of flavors, recognizability, contrasts, very different tastes from one course to the next, in which aesthetic beauty in presentation is never lacking either. The whole course is balanced both quantitatively and in the interplay of textures and flavors, moving from sweet to sour and from iodized to concentrated vegetable.
The tartare of beef heart with udder, sacha inchi pipián sauce and herbs to be eaten in a veggie taco is sublime and makes a not-so-often-ordered dish within everyone's reach; the lobster filet with tamarind and ants is a hoot with every bite where between sour and sugary with fruity and refreshing notes accompanied by the earthier notes of Colombian ants. Then there is the morrillo ahumado, a very meaty cut of the upper part of the beef neck smoked and served with chopped peppers, tomatoes, bananas, eggplant, deep and succulent before giving way to desserts by the talented Nicol Sthefany López Leguizamon.
Heart tartare, tongue, udder to show that the animal is more than what you see, less usual parts always enter his kitchen and are interpreted masterfully. For Álvaro, his menu must be complete and have a little bit of everything, sea, fruits, vegetables, animal protein, different flavors and types, “for me it is very important that the menu is not too long or too ‘fine dining,’ El Chato must remain a democratic restaurant for everyone so that every Colombian can enjoy the goodness of their country. Achieving international success to date is not only an honor for me, but for all Colombian gastronomy. It is a sign that the world is beginning to see the gastronomic richness we have to offer,” , he says, adding ‘no hay un ingrediente malo si no lo que esta cocinado malo.’
His success, according to him, is due to a cocktail of discipline, passion, and commitment, values that are reflected in every detail of the experience at El Chato. Well done Álvaro!
Contact
El Chato
Address: Calle 65 # 4-76 -Bogotá - Colombia
Phone: +57 601 7439931
Website: elchato.co
