Élite

Élite is a restaurant, not a paladar, owned by Antonio Rodriguez Calvo and Javier Gómez Martínez, who is also the restaurant’s chef. It has a contemporary design, with all black-and-white furniture, walls, and place settings. However, Javier explained to us that the stylish and contemporary décor alone does not set his restaurant apart as unique and noteworthy. He is constantly considering how he can attract a clientele in an increasingly competitive market of dining choices. One way, he found out, is by using his personal connections to acquire hard-to-find ingredients. For example: A good friend of Javier’s who lives in Granada, Spain, sends him the seeds for various types of leafy greens, which are then grown in Cuba on a friend’s privately-owned farm and, when ready, are brought to the restaurant in another friend’s truck. With these greens, the Élite chefs are able to make the tasty and unique mixed green salad on the Élite menu. In a country where for decades there was only one type of lettuce, and where today there is still no wholesale market for culinary entrepreneurs, having this salad on the menu gives the restaurant an edge.