In the constantly changing world of fine dining, experiential dining has become more significant to restaurants than the usual offerings. One such concept that has received international attention is the following:
customers who are willing to pay around Rs 26,000 for a meal that consists of pouring warm liquid chocolate on their palms and then licking it clean.
This intriguing culinary ritual is a perfect blend of gastronomy and sensory theatre, and it is a part of the multi-course tasting menu at the Michelin-starred restaurant Elcielo. While some people see it as a creative effort to help customers reconnect with
food through touch, smell, and memories, others see it as pure extravagance.
Ritual Called ‘Chocotherapy’
Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos has devised “chocotherapy,” a fun course at Elcielo that appeals to a variety of senses. Diners wash their hands, dip them into warm chocolate, massage them in, sniff the aroma, lick the chocolate off, then rinse with water as part
of the ritual, and it ends with a napkin to dry them.
Instagram user and digital creative @highspeeddining posted a viral video, which shows a diner sitting with his hands raised over a bowl while warm, melted chocolate is poured into his palms. As part of the restaurant’s custom, he rubs it in, tastes it, and then has his hands washed.
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This unique experience is a dish from the fine-dining establishment El Cielo, which is popular for its tasting menu that features chocolate treatment. The meal costs around $289 (approximately Rs 26,000) per person at its Miami and Washington, DC, locations.
Dining Beyond Taste
The chocolate experience is more than just about the taste. It is meant to evoke childhood memories and encourage consumers to engage with their food on an emotional and physical level. A dessert is turned into an experience that lingers long after the meal
is over because of the engagement of touch, smell, and taste. Experiential dining is a bigger trend in the restaurant industry that is exemplified by the Rs 26,000 chocolate experience.
Events like this serve as a reminder to slow down, use our senses, and rediscover food in its most playful, emotional form in a society where eating often feels staged. These types of moments appeal to memories, sticky fingers, recognisable fragrances, and the pure joy of sampling something without any restrictions.
About El Cielo Restaurant
El Cielo specialises in Colombian-inspired tasting menus that combine technical and sensory elements, and it operates in multiple locations, including Miami and Washington, DC. The recipes often include characteristic ingredients, including bison preparations,
truffle-based snacks, and the famous “Tree of Life.”
The sophisticated cuisine includes “Tree of Life,” which serves yucca bread on a wire bonsai tree sculpture; “Al Trapo” with North Dakota bison, potato puree, and wine reduction; and Truffle Bunuelo with black truffle fritter, black garlic, and porcini. One of the most talked-about aspects of the restaurant is the chocotherapy ritual, which typically occurs early in the dinner.
Its Washington DC site has been awarded a Michelin star, and its theatrical, multi-course meals have drawn attention to other locations.
