the RLT Cuisine

We draw inspiration from Robert Frost’s timeless words: ‘two roads diverged in a yellow wood’. Just as the poet ventured down the road less traveled, our culinary journey in the heart of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, has been a path of uniqueness and exploration.

Our team of talented chefs, each with their own distinct backgrounds and stories, have converged to create something truly extraordinary. We are committed to celebrating the flavors of our local community through locally sourced ingredients, sustainable practices, and a deep connection to the Costa Rican culture.

As you join us on this less-traveled path, you’ll discover not just a dining experience, but a celebration of the vibrant essence of Guanacaste. We invite you to explore our culinary offerings, from in-home personal chef services to immersive cooking classes and a daily changing tasting menu at our intimate 4-seat restaurant. At The RLT Cuisine, we believe in making every meal a memorable adventure.

The story of The RLT Cuisine begins with a young Costa Rican, driven by an insatiable passion for food, culture, and global cuisines.

As a natural adventurer and artist, his destiny led him far from his hometown. He embarked on a one-way journey to Europe, where he immersed himself in the world’s finest kitchens, including several Michelin-starred establishments representing diverse culinary traditions. Fueled by an unwavering desire to carve a unique path, he nurtured his entrepreneurial spirit.

Four years, five continents, and countless tales of culinary discovery later, he returned to his roots, reigniting his profound connection to the wild and the flavors that called him home. This homecoming marked the birth of The RLT Cuisine, a testament to his dedication.

Today, we celebrate the vibrant essence of Costa Rica through our culinary offerings. Each dish is a fusion of global inspiration and local authenticity, inviting you to share in our adventurous journey, one unforgettable meal at a time.

Our Team

Founder and head chef

Chef Gilberto Briceño

Our Costa Rican founder and visionary leader, Chef Gilberto, is the heartbeat of this culinary venture.

With an unquenchable passion for food, travel, and the natural world, he has embarked on a global quest to elevate Costa Rica into a coveted culinary destination.

His inspiring vision and leadership have united a team of talented chefs to craft something truly extraordinary.

Sous chef

Märten Kadu

Originally from Estonia and seasoned by the best restaurants in Copenhagen, Märten Kadu brought his creative energy to Costa Rica in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle and a chance to cook with love. His skills and knowledge are instrumental in crafting unique and exciting dishes that are as beautiful as they are delicious.

Pastry chef

Antonia De Wet

Hailing from South Africa, Antonia De Wet is our extraordinaire vegan pastry chef. Her mission is to elevate the art of dessert to new heights by using the unique flavors of the dry tropical forest. Antonia crafts delicious and nutritious treats that tantalize the taste buds while showcasing the beauty of plant-based cuisine.

Excecutive chef

Roberto Flores

Born of both Italian and Salvadoran heritage, Roberto has called Costa Rica his home for a lifetime. His culinary journey embodies a commitment to sustainable and innovative farm-to-table cuisine. With a passion for slow cooking, Roberto harnesses the essence of local ingredients to create dishes that pay homage to the rich tapestry of Costa Rican flavors, all while embracing the art of sustainable gastronomy.

Sous chef

Emanuel Berti

Hailing from the rugged landscapes of Santa Fé, Argentina, Chef Emanuel Berti is a master of farm-to-table cuisine. His culinary journey has taken him from the windswept plains of Patagonia to the vibrant dry tropical forests of Costa Rica. With unwavering dedication to sustainability and a passion for sourcing the freshest, organic ingredients, Emanuel crafts dishes that reflect the essence of the places he's called home.

Sous chef

Kenneth Ramírez

With a lifetime of experience working in the fields and banana plantations of Costa Rica's Caribbean, Keneth Ramirez joined our team as the backbone of our operations. His unbreakable spirit and wealth of knowledge in logistics, stewarding, and purchase orders ensure that everything runs seamlessly behind the scenes, allowing our guests to enjoy an unforgettable experience.

Sous chef

Santiago Cursi

Santiago Cursi, is not your average chef. With a punk rocker background and a passion for music and art, Santiago infuses a rebellious spirit into our team. He marries his unconventional style with a deep knowledge of seasonal products to create dishes that defy convention and showcase the extraordinary flavors of Costa Rica.

Sous chef

Josué Gómez

Josue Gómez, began his culinary journey with us from day one. His passion is focused on the art of dessert and sweet cooking. With a natural talent for crafting decadent treats, Josue uses local ingredients and time-honored techniques to create desserts that pay homage to the generations that came before him.

What our customers say

Roshy P

2023-07-30

Lovely experience This was one of the most amazing experience that we had in Guanacoste. You can have a few chefs coming to cook a prefix menu at your home. The food is really good.

Jennifer K

2023-02-22

Fun, interactive amazing cooking experience with professional chefs We had a wonderful interactive cooking experience with Chefs Santi and Ema. They came to our vacation rental and served us an amazing meal, letting us help prepare, teaching us about the foods and answering all of our questions. It was a great evening to watch them work up close and to learn about their professional culinary history. Since they strive for zero waste, they get to be creative with the local ingredients. It turned out amazing! Highly recommend this personal experience.

Tina H

2023-02-01

Once-in-a-lifetime Culinary Experience The absolute best experience we had during our entire Costa Rica trip (and we had some amazing adventures)!!! Chef Gilberto is an incredible man with a phenomenal story. Making food together with him was an honor and a privilege. The seafood comes from two minutes away, the veggies come from 15 minutes away, his techniques are flawless, his flavors are huge. You will walk away learning a lot and having an out-of-this-world eating experience. We made traditional Costa Rican food together and he even had local beach and soda recommendations that enhanced our trip. Clean, adorable, professional small facility, easy to get to. Sharing conversating and cooking with Gilberto will be something to remember for many years! Whether you want him and his team to be your private chef, caterers, or to do a tasting menu or cooking class we HIGHLY RECOMMEND making a reservation with him. Check him out on Instagram or TikTok as well. If you are a foodie, DO NOT MISS THIS EXPERIENCE!!

Regina H

2023-01-17

Best dinner on the Nicoya Peninsula Incredible personal dining experience in a charming chef owned kitchen. Eight courses painstakingly prepared with local produce and fresh seafood. Instructive, entertaining and absolutely delicious. Was a complete palate blowing experience. Please make a reservation and take advantage of their culinary expertise and passion to feed the soul and body. Really a treat!

sgparrish

2023-01-17

Foodie Heaven Confession: we are foodies. Recommendation: eat here. From the first swipe of herbed butter on handmade bread to the last lick of that chocolate from that indescribable dessert, every bite was delightful. There’s no point in describing the food because it will be different every day. It is local, it is international, it is unique – but most of all, it is delicious. There was a curried sauce complementing one dish that could have covered a rubber boot and I would have asked for seconds. We had a little trouble finding RLT’s location, but WAZE and Google Maps have it right. The trick is the parking lot is for several businesses and the parking lot attendant knows that it is Gilberto the chef’s place rather than RLT. He parked us across the street in a different lot because the closer lot was full. Very helpful attendant. Roberto produced dish after dish after dish for us after taking into consideration what dietary restrictions or preferences we had as a group. We took our own wine which was appropriately poured for us throughout the meal. Josue acted as sous chef AND pastry chef. We were thoroughly pampered and educated about local fruits and vegetables, cooking techniques and any weird question we asked. If you are within an hour of Potrero, you deserve a night of culinary bliss. Do it.

Maria B

2022-07-23

Cena privada Una experiencia gastronomica de primer nivel, para compartir con amigos que les gusta la buena cocina. Un sitio divino, lleno de detalles, combinación de sabores y texturas que se deshacen en la boca, vinos exquisitos y el team servicial, siempre atentos a que disfrutaramos la experiencia, sin descuidar el mínimo detalle y una filosofia de negocio que inspira. Esperando una experiencia gastronómica nueva con Gil y su equipo. 🥳💯

María Fernanda S

2022-07-23

Experiencia culinaria!! Una experiencia que mezcla productos locales y exquisitos sabores que solo un grupo de personas apasionadas por el arte culinario pueden dar. Gracias chicos RLT Cuisine por la atención y excelente cena. Esperando que se repita pronto.

Erin F

2022-07-10

Mother / Daughter Dinner 🤍 Eating at Gil’s kitchen is a MUST when visiting the Potrero area. He and his kitchen team are dedicated to providing a unique experience to each visitor with fresh ingredients found locally and crafted into the most delicious, one of a kind dishes, plated artfully and inspired by local tradition. With a story behind every component of your dish your meal will be full of flavor, learning and laughs.

Estefania R

2022-07-03

RTL cuisine This is probably the most exclusive dinning experience in the whole Guanacaste region. RLT Cuisine is a 4-seat tasting menu restaurant set around a marble counter, run by chef Gilberto and his team. Even though they change their menu every day (depending on what’s in season) The highlight of that night menu was a smoked catch of the day, served with an umami-rich fermented local white bean pureé. Each dish was served in a beautiful and elegant way. The whole team is incredible clean and organized. Kitchen was pristine throughout the experience. If you are in the area, don’t hesitate to make a reservation and be part of this experience.

Lisa

2022-06-25

Creativity & Food Love RLT kitchen is a top of the list food experience in Guanacaste. Watching the progression of mastermind Chef Gilberto & team has been a joy & the new kitchen is the perfect intimate setting. The always changing, locally sourced ingredients lend to a unique menu that is both complex & simple. The food shines as does the staff with stories of travels and food searches. A small yet growing retail section let’s visitors take home a variety of salts, herbs, etc. all curated by Chef Gilberto. We look forward to dining there on our next visit 🌞