Cuisine

Celele: Caribbean Culinary Icon Wins 2025 Sustainable Restaurant Award

Celele in Cartagena blends Caribbean heritage with sustainability, earning the 2025 World’s 50 Best Sustainable Restaurant Award. Discover its journey and ethos.

Por: Angela Leon Cervera
Sustainable Restaurant Award
Celele. Photo: @celele_restaurante

In Cartagena’s colorful Getsemaní district, where colonial façades meet the pulse of street music, Celele has carved out its place as one of the world’s most compelling gastronomic destinations. Founded in 2018 by chefs Jaime Rodríguez and Sebastián Pinzón, this “Caribbean contemporary kitchen” has captivated diners with a philosophy rooted in biodiversity, culture, and community — values that have now earned it the 2025 Sustainable Restaurant Award from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

 

The accolade is more than a trophy; it’s the culmination of years spent mapping the Colombian Caribbean’s edible treasures, forging deep ties with local communities, and reimagining luxury as something local, just, and authentic.

Sustainable Restaurant Award
Celele. Photo: @celele_restaurante

How Did Celele’s Story Begin?

Celele’s origins trace back to Proyecto Caribe Lab, a two-and-a-half-year culinary expedition by Chef Rodríguez across the Colombian Caribbean. He catalogued ingredients, recipes, and techniques while working alongside indigenous communities, fishermen, farmers, marine biologists, and historians. Every step — from bustling markets to remote fishing villages — was shared online, sparking curiosity and support.

 

Rodríguez, originally from Boyacá, honed his skills at SENA in Tunja and under acclaimed chefs like Jorge Rausch before devoting himself to Caribbean cuisine. Pinzón complemented this with his focus on sustainability and environmental impact, bringing a research-driven perspective to the kitchen.

 

The result? A dynamic, seasonal menu where roughly 90% of ingredients come from the Caribbean — and 70% are wild-harvested. Staples like orejero, guáimaro, and pomarrosa tell stories of place and tradition, while supporting local economies and ecosystems.

Sustainable Restaurant Award
Celele. Photo: @celele_restaurante
Sustainable Restaurant Award
Celele. Photo: @celele_restaurante

Why Is the Sustainable Restaurant Award So Prestigious?

The Sustainable Restaurant Award is granted to the establishment with the highest score in environmental and social responsibility, as audited by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). Evaluation spans three pillars: Sourcing, Society, and Environment.

 

Restaurants undergo a rigorous self-assessment of 50+ questions, supported by documentation, before the top contenders are reviewed in depth. In 2025, Celele emerged on top — excelling in all three pillars:

 

  • Ethical Sourcing & Biodiversity

    • Direct purchases from farmers and fishers ensure fair incomes and preserve traditional fishing methods.

    • Partnerships like Granitos de Paz supply fresh produce from urban gardens in vulnerable neighborhoods, creating jobs and food security.

  • Social Impact & Education

    • Interest-free loans help staff improve their housing.

    • Ongoing ingredient research is shared with communities and diners alike.

    • Staff receive training in responsible fishing, enabling them to educate guests on the provenance of their seafood.

  • Environmental Management

    • A “seed-to-shell” approach uses 90%+ of agricultural inputs in full.

    • Water recirculation systems and waste-reduction strategies minimize resource use.

    • Collaborations with recycling companies divert glass, cardboard, and even obsolete electronics from landfills.

What Sets Celele Apart from Other Award-Winners?

While some sustainable restaurants invest in highly visible eco-technologies like solar panels, Celele’s sustainability ethos is embedded in daily practice and regional stewardship:

 

  1. Cultural Guardianship – The menu isn’t just seasonal; it’s an evolving archive of Caribbean culinary identity.

  2. Ecosystem Respect – By sourcing within the fragile tropical dry forest and coastal ecosystems, they commit to conservation through commerce.

  3. Community Integration – Suppliers are partners, not just providers, with long-term relationships at the heart of the business model.

This blend of research, respect, and refinement makes Celele’s award feel less like a surprise and more like a rightful coronation.

Sustainable Restaurant Award
Celele. Photo: @celele_restaurante

Celele’s 2025 Sustainable Restaurant Award win affirms what diners in Cartagena have known for years: that true luxury can — and should — be rooted in locality, equity, and ecological care. By intertwining gastronomy with cultural preservation and environmental stewardship, Celele has set a benchmark not just for the Caribbean, but for the global fine dining scene.

FAQ

  • What is the Sustainable Restaurant Award? It’s an annual recognition by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants for outstanding environmental and social responsibility, audited by the SRA.
  • When did Celele open? In 2018, in Cartagena’s Getsemaní neighborhood.
  • Who founded Celele? Chefs Jaime Rodríguez and Sebastián Pinzón.
  • What percentage of Celele’s ingredients are local? About 90% come from the Caribbean region, with 70% wild-harvested.
  • What makes Celele’s sustainability unique? A deep integration of biodiversity preservation, fair trade with communities, and resource-efficient kitchen practices.

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