Chef Chele González is at his most interesting when he finds connections that already make sense on the plate. His cooking at Gallery by Chele has long worked this way, from a tiradito inspired by smoky Mindanao kinilaw to Fired! Pulpo, which borrows from the flavors of chicken inasal. For Miele’s latest Innovation Series, he brings the same instinct to a new set of references, using the German brand’s heritage as a starting point for four dishes shaped by his Spanish background and years of cooking in the Philippines. Dark Beer and Pretzel Cheesecake His dark beer and pretzel cheesecake begins with the burnt Basque cheesecake that has become one of his more accessible signatures. Cerveza negra brings malt and bitterness to its dense richness, with pretzel providing the salty crunch underneath. “When you think of Germany and gastronomy, you think of beer and pretzels,” González notes. The pairing may..
