Juan Manuel Barrientos: “I want to continue conquering palates around the world”

It is almost impossible to find a gap in the schedule of this chef, who, in twenty-two years, has opened twelve restaurants and a hotel. Juan Manuel Barrientos, who celebrates twenty years since the opening of El Cielo this year, is preparing for the inauguration of his new restaurant, Cartagena, in Miami, and hints at the possibility of expanding to New York.

As he continues to balance his roles as a chef and an entrepreneur, the chef dreams of further growing in the North American market. In this interview, with his characteristic intensity and unmistakable paisa accent, he reflects on his journey, talks about his relationship with the 50 Best, and discusses the current state of Colombian cuisine.

It has been twenty-two years since you started cooking and twenty since you opened El Cielo. What has remained intact in you since then?

“The vision has remained intact, the commitment to being a family-run business and the purpose of delivering luxurious Colombian experiences through hospitality worldwide. I keep alive the dream of elevating the name of Colombia.

More and more renowned chefs are deciding to make a shift in their lives and leave haute cuisine. Has the thought of changing El Cielo ever crossed your mind?

“It has never crossed my mind to leave El Cielo or the kitchen.”

You have lived the profession intensely from a very young age: the 50 Best came early, along with awards, magazine covers, and now a Michelin star. Is there too much pressure on your work?

“Yes, there is. The work gets more complex every day, today we have two Michelin-starred restaurants, twelve restaurants in total, and new projects. But I have always loved working hard and under pressure. I enjoy it a lot and I do not get stressed.”

You are often seen more with celebrities than with chefs. And with twelve restaurants and a hotel, are you more of an entrepreneur than a chef today?

“No, I will always be a chef first and then an entrepreneur, I think it is about balancing both, being an entrepreneur by day and cooking by night.” 

In twenty-two years, you have experienced a lot in this industry. What have been the toughest moments in your career?

“Rather than ‘worst moments,’ the most difficult times were when we opened in Miami. Internationalizing a brand using the profits we generated in Colombia, buying dollars to invest in the U.S., was extremely challenging. It was tough to break into that market, those first five years were very complex.”

And what has been the most beautiful thing that cooking has given you?

“My daughter, with whom I enjoy spending time in the kitchen, and working with my family every day.”

Has not returning to the 50 Best been hard for you?

“It has not been hard for me. I think the guide and the Michelin stars have become a much more important symbol. The 50 Best helped me a lot in Bogotá when we first started. The beginning was tough; in Medellín, we were super well-known, but in Bogotá, not so much. The 50 Best put us on the international gastronomic map.

When I left the ranking, I was very young and a bit immature, and that exit inspired me to focus on being both a chef and an entrepreneur. That helped me grow my business and create more jobs. When I left the ranking, I had a hundred employees; now, I have five hundred. It motivated me to grow, improve my offerings, and reinvent myself.
Today, I am proud to be the first Colombian chef to earn a Michelin star for Colombian cuisine. I am proud to bring the cuisine of my country to huge and important cities like Washington, D.C., and Miami, especially because most of my team is Colombian talent.”

How do you see the level of Colombian cuisine?

“The level of Colombian cuisine is growing every day. There are more and more talented chefs, and I think we will keep showing the world a beautiful and flavorful side of Colombia for many years to come.”

Future plans… What new projects are you working on?

“I never stop working. We are about to open the Cartagena restaurant (on October 1st), inside the SLS Hotel in South Beach. It will be a casual, tropical and Colombian à la carte offering, with influences from all the Caribbean countries. We are also evaluating some proposals in New York. So, my future plans are to keep growing, to keep conquering palates around the world.”

What has been Juan Manuel Barrientos’ greatest contribution to cuisine?

“I think it has been showing chefs that dreams can come true through cooking and that you can generate jobs and build a country by taking Colombian cuisine around the world.”