Alvaro Perez Miranda, Founder APM Restaurant Group
Emelina is centered on your partnership with chefs Osmel González and Camila Salazar. What made them the right collaborators to bring this vision to life?
As a regular guest at Entrenos, I quickly recognized that we shared the same core philosophy—omotenashi (mindful hospitality), komakai (fine attention to detail), and sensai (sensitivity). These principles are foundational to APM Restaurant Group and define the standards we hold ourselves to. Osmel and Camila naturally embody these values through their technique, discipline, and sensitivity in the kitchen, which made the collaboration feel organic rather than forced.
Emelina will be the first non-Japanese concept from APM Restaurant Group. Can you tell me about the significance of expanding beyond Japanese cuisine and what made Cuban flavors and culture the right direction for this next chapter?
I’ve been thinking for a long time about expanding beyond Japanese cuisine. With Osmel and Camila, I saw the perfect opportunity to explore Cuban food and present it on a different stage. Over my 40-year career, I’ve helped produce more than 70 restaurants, and Emelina is part of a much larger creative journey—it certainly won’t be the last concept I curate.
Across APM’s concepts, you’ve emphasized Japanese principles such as omotenashi, komakai, and sensai. How are these philosophies informing Emelina, even though it’s rooted in Cuban flavors?
These principles aren’t limited to Japanese cuisine—they can be applied to anything, including how we cook, serve, and care for people. Latin hospitality has a warmth and charm that differs from Japanese hospitality, but when you combine that natural openness with precision, attention to detail, and sensitivity, something very special happens. That balance is at the heart of Emelina.
How did your background shape the creative vision for Emelina?
Growing up in Venezuela gave me a deep appreciation for my Latin heritage. Later, studying in Florence exposed me to classical art and helped shape my artistic sensibility. Living in Japan for over a decade profoundly influenced how I curate spaces and value simplicity and restraint. These varied cultural experiences allow me to approach hospitality as an art form—one that’s informed by global perspectives yet grounded in intention.
APM restaurants are known for immersive, intentional design. How did you approach creating a visual and sensory environment for Emelina?
Art is always the connective thread across our concepts—from ceramics and flatware to glassware and spatial design. At Emelina, we feature works by Antonio Ugarte, whose use of color, brushwork, and composition complements the space beautifully. His art reinforces the emotional and visual language of the restaurant.
Camila Salazar & Osmel González, Chef Partners
Since Emelina carries the name and legacy of Chef Osmel González’s grandmother, how did you translate that personal history into the restaurant’s atmosphere and menu?
Emelina is about capturing the essence of her cooking and the memories tied to it. What’s beautiful is that essence can be expressed in many ways—through different ingredients, techniques, and presentations—without being literal. The name itself carries elegance, and we wanted that elegance to extend into how we serve, how we care for guests, and how the space itself was thoughtfully curated.
You’ve framed Emelina around the idea of what Cuban cuisine might have become if it had evolved with freedom and global influence. How are you interpreting that concept?
We’re thinking forward, not backward—especially when it comes to the food. Traditional Cuban flavors and techniques serve as our foundation, but we reinterpret them using modern methods and knowledge gained from working in high-level kitchens around the world. Rather than recreating classic dishes, we aim to present an elevated, elegant cuisine inspired by Cuban tradition.
