Pio Pio x Verde Mesa | Sold Out

An ode for collaboration

A tasting menu by Gabriel Hernández Febo (Verde Mesa) & Ciarán Elliott (Pio Pio Champagne Bar)

The third time's the charm. After two failed attempts at collaboration--two chefs, neighbors, who met during the pandemic, are finally getting together. 
United by their passion with the local culinary and agricultural potential, this dinner looks to combine their visions, experiences, and techniques: the calculated with the inspired. 

This menu integrates Verde Mesa's energy with that of Pio Pio Champagne Bar. 
Obviously, a dinner in Pio Pio is incomplete without a wine pairing. Laura Madera Nadal looks to elevate and electrify the menu with esoteric wines that reflect the same freshness and dynamism of the menu.  

Menu

LAURA MADERA NADAL
A San Juan Native, Laura was introduced to the world of hospitality from an early age. After completing her Level 3, Wine and Spirits Education Trust, Laura moved back to New York, turning studies into practice. Learning service and guest relations at Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, and Uncle Boon’s, each establishment provided a different element for the type of service she embodies. Laura hopes to marry the warmth of Puerto Rican hospitality with the quality and caliber of service she experienced in New York. She will never say no to champagne and is always hunting with local wine importers to find those interesting varietals from lesser known regions and producers. She believes wine is an experience, and the beauty of drinking wine is exploring. 

CIARAN ELLIOTT

Ciarán grew up between York, England and Dublin, Ireland. His talent was recognized at a young age while working at 2-michelin starred Patrick Guilbaud (Ireland) when he was awarded Euro-Toques Ireland’s Young Chef of the Year award. The title gave him the opportunity to work in the kitchens of Arzak (Spain) and ultimately led him to join the ranks at Thomas Keller’s Per Se Restaurant (NYC). He spent nearly 5 years Per Se, working his way up to a sous chef position. Today, Ciarán brings that discipline and ambition to Puerto Rico’s culinary scene. Excited with the growth in local farming and agriculture, he is fascinated with the range of unique ingredients available in Puerto Rico.

GABRIEL HERNÁNDEZ FEBO

Gabriel Hernández is the executive chef at Verde Mesa Restaurant in San Juan. One of the first restaurants in Puerto Rico that began to revitalize the use of local products and culinary integration. He began his culinary career with no professional training. He and his partner, Loyda Rosa, opened Verde Mesa in 2009. With no money to hire an experienced chef, Gabriel jumped into the kitchen. After three years, they moved to a new location and decided to open for dine-in service. With the help of different mentors along the way, Chef Gabriel has created cuisine that is clean, simple, and balanced in flavor. In 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and it was a difficult time. It took them over a year to restore the restaurant to full operation. In February 2018, The James Beard Foundation selected Chef Gabriel as a Semi-Finalist for Best Chef South, this was a huge surprise and a reward for the many years of hard work by both partners and helping boost team morale after the hurricane. Chef Gabriel's goal is to create a culinary language worthy of expressing the terroir of his homeland, the beautiful island of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.