Ampliare

Ampliare

Bismar Rondón Arias, chef del Club Habana.

CHEF BISMAR RONDON ARIAS’ CUISINE, BOTH FROZEN IN TIME AND POSTMODERNIST, UNDERSCORES THE FINEST ELEMENTS OF CUBAN AND INTERNATIONAL FOOD

Bismar Rondon Arias sees it crystal-clear: “Life is the best gastronomic school”. He underscores this idea with the conviction and wisdom of a man that once quit his military career and devoted his time to gastronomy. That was how he joined —16 years ago— the former Havana Biltmore Yacht and Country Club, presently the Club Habana, an elegant complex that is conveniently perched on Fifth Avenue and stands out as one of the most complete entertainment choices in the nation’s capital.
You could wonder what the secret of this simple and charismatic chef is, who has developed an ascending line for nearly two decades at Club Habana’s El Chelo Restaurant. His harmonies, studied in depth and always contrasted with the palate, are rendered into a meat cookbook with assortments of preparations, shellfish and fish recipes.
What do you think it is what actually typifies you within the Cuban culinary scene?
El Chelo is characterized by its national cuisine merged with foreign tastes and styles, thanks to a consultant we’ve had for the past 14 years, Belgian chef Anne Marie Helena Lauwers, our teacher.
We work hard so our menu can be as original and exclusive as possible, including international elements and the chance of combining them with typical Cuban recipes.
We find it difficult to mix certain ingredients in one dish, and we work on it, on what people think that can’t be normal. For instance, shellfish are one of our strongholds, and sometimes it’s counterproductive for patrons to hear that lobster can be combined with lamb. But we make it happen.
Creativity or talent: what do you think matters the most?
They are up to par with each other. The school plays a key role, but if you don’t have the art, that guiding light, you just can’t get it done.
El Chelo, is it a restaurant that targets families or the realm of events?
Both. For a long time we’ve had the privilege to prepare dishes for the top echelons of this country, including dinners for the Habano Festival, an event that usually attracts over a thousand people and takes special requirements due to the characteristics and habits of that public. But the restaurant is open for everybody, even if they are not members of the Club. 
In addition to superb food, what else can people find in this place?
Human warmth, customized service, plus a one-of-a-kind atmosphere to escape from the noisy city life. The restaurant and its surroundings, just a stone’s throw from the sea, is a haven of harmonies.
Make no mistakes about it; there are places where tastes are not only enjoyed with food, but they are also touched and breathed in.Open to the public. Membership is not required.