The Costa Rica Tourism Board hosted a culinary event at La Cometa, a contemporary art gallery in Miami, showcasing the country’s diverse regional cuisines, ingredients, and culinary traditions.
Located in Central America between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica offers a range of culinary experiences shaped by its geography, climate, and cultural influences. From the active volcanoes and cattle ranches of the northwest to the coffee-growing highlands and Caribbean coastline, each region brings its own traditions to the table.
The culinary journey began in Guanacaste, a northwestern province known for its sunny climate, dry forests, ranching heritage, and Pacific beaches. The region is also home to small, family-owned rum producers, including well-known local brand Pura Vida.
Next was the Central Valley, a highland region surrounded by coffee plantations and home to the capital, San José. The journey then moved to Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. The Caribbean coast is especially known for an iconic signature dish, Rondón. This rich fish and seafood stew, simmered in fresh coconut milk, has Afro-Caribbean origins.
During the evening, guests enjoyed tasting several specialties from Guanacaste, Central Valley, and the Caribbean Coast regions, including a four-course, seafood-forward dinner created by Chef Byron Gomez, the first Costa Rican chef to earn a Michelin distinction.
Born in Costa Rica and raised in the United States from age eight, Gomez trained alongside acclaimed chefs at New York’s Eleven Madison Park. He later opened Pollo Tico in Boulder, Colorado, before joining Denver’s BRUTØ in 2023. Under his culinary direction, the restaurant earned both a Michelin Star and a Michelin Green Star in 2024 and 2025. A Top Chef competitor and Food Network personality, Gomez combines Costa Rican heritage with global techniques and a focus on seasonal, sustainable ingredients.
The evening began with sampling chocolate made from cacao grown in the Matina River Valley on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. Guests could also enjoy freshly prepared coffee lattes with flavored syrups or or rum-based coffee cocktails, Espresso Martinis and Carajillos.
Dinner was served at a table inspired by a tropical rainforest, decorated with colorful heliconias, bromeliads, and epiphytes. Before the meal, guests sampled an assortment of canapés created by Gomez, including beef tartare, palmito ceviche, and brûléed banana oysters.
The four-course meal spectacularly opened with caviar paired with Maduro plantain ice cream. This unexpectedly delightful sweet and salty combination was served atop a bespoke glass vessel.
The next course served was a scrumptious Red snapper ceviche artfully plated with a frothy passion fruit sabayon, edible flowers, tostones, and fisharrones (strips of deep fried snapper). The dish was served on granite-like stone serveware that complemented its coastal inspiration.
For the main course, Gomez offered his contemporary interpretation of rondón, featuring a delectable Cod over lobster mousse and a sweet and tart tamarind sauce.
Lastly arrived a molecular gastronomically created dessert. A chocolate tuile rested against a duo of CAS lime ice cream and Costa Rican coffee mousse, which provided a final tribute to the country's distinctive ingredients.
The evening offered a glimpse into Costa Rica’s culinary identity, where Indigenous traditions, Afro-Caribbean influences, local ingredients, and contemporary techniques come together. Through Chef Gomez’s menu, guests experienced the diversity of the country’s regions in a single setting, gaining a taste of the food culture that makes Costa Rica a destination worth exploring.
