Chef Epicurea Atelier A Gourmet Experience
Chef At Home in San José
Get to know me better
Executive Chef and professional musician blending Le Cordon Bleu techniques with artistic creativity to deliver rhythmic and unforgettable experiences
We are a culinary agency founded and supervised by Costa Rican Executive Chef and Professional Musician Carlos Umaña whose culinary identity is deeply rooted in the harmony, peace, and natural beauty of my homeland. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu, have spent years perfecting a style that reflects the 'Pura Vida' philosophy: a balance between technical precision and a deep respect for nature's ingredients.
My international journey from the luxury of Barcelona and Malaga to exclusive clubs in New York, North Carolina and Florida has allowed me to refine a global palate without losing my essence. As an award-winning chef (3rd Place, 2024 Culinary Continental Cup), I view every plate as a musical composition where flavors must flow in perfect rhythm. When you invite me into your home, I bring more than a meal; I bring a peaceful and harmonious sensory experience inspired by the vibrant landscapes and soul of Costa Rica.

More about me
For me, cooking is...
The art of composing peaceful and balanced experiences inspired by nature.
I learned to cook at...
Le Cordon Bleu and the Latin University of Costa Rica, refined through years of international experience in Costa Rica, Spain, Colombia and the USA.
A cooking secret...
Blending the rhythmic precision of a professional percussionist with the peaceful harmony of my Costa Rican roots and Le Cordon Bleu technique.
My menus
Bruschetta al Pomodoro with balsamic reduction
Penne a la Vodka with cashew sauce
Melanzane alla Parmigiana
Tiramisu
View full menu
Fresh Oyster with a Champagne Mignonette: A single, high-quality fresh oyster served on ice, dressed with a classic sharp and elegant mignonette sauce made with champagne vinegar and finely minced shallots
Brioche with Foie Gras Pâté and Fig Jam: A rich and creamy high-quality duck or goose liver pâté spread generously on a toasted brioche point, topped with a sweet fig jam to balance the flavor
Wild Mushroom Tartlet with a Hint of Truffle: A buttery tart shell filled with a sauté of local and wild mushrooms and thyme, finished with a light drizzle of truffle oil
Custom Option
Shellfish Bisque with Cognac: A classic, rich, and velvety soup made from roasted shrimp or local langostino shells, finished with a touch of cream and cognac, and garnished with a small piece of sweet shellfish meat
Beef Carpaccio with Truffle Vinaigrette: Paper-thin slices of premium beef sirloin, artfully arranged and served with arugula, shaved Parmesan, crispy capers, and a bright lemon and truffle-infused vinaigrette
Saffron Risotto with a Seared Scallop: Creamy risotto cooked al dente with fragrant saffron threads and Parmesan cheese, crowned with one perfectly seared jumbo scallop
Custom Choice
Hommage à Rossini" Beef Filet: A tribute to the classic. A prime cut of beef tenderloin is pan-seared and served with a rich Madeira wine sauce. It's topped with a medallion of high-quality duck pâté that melts over the steak
Lobster Tail with Herb-Butter Sauce: A succulent lobster tail, oven-poached in a bath of clarified butter infused with garlic and herb. Served in its shell with the aromatic butter for dipping and accompanied by steamed asparagus
Crispy Duck Confit with Truffled Potato Purée: A duck leg slow-cooked in its own fat until the meat is meltingly tender and the skin is perfectly crisp. Served on a bed of creamy potato purée enriched with black truffle oil
Custom Menu Choice
Grand Marnier Soufflé: A light and airy soufflé, baked to order until perfectly risen, with the warm, citrus aroma of Grand Marnier liqueur. Served with a vanilla bean crème anglaise
Deconstructed Lemon Tart: An artistic presentation of the classic dessert, featuring dollops of tangy lemon curd, crumbled shortbread crust, crisp meringue kisses, and a scoop of raspberry sorbet
Le Saint-Honoré: This dessert consists of a puff pastry base topped with a ring of small cream puffs (choux) dipped in crunchy caramelized sugar. The center is filled with a Crème Chiboust (pastry cream with Italian meringue)
Choice for Custom Menu
View full menu
Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini: Toasted baguette topped with creamy whipped goat cheese, a drizzle of local honey, and fresh thyme
Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon: Sweet, ripe cantaloupe melon wrapped in a thin slice of high-quality prosciutto, finished with a balsamic glaze
Radishes with Butter and Sea Salt (Radis Beurre): The quintessential Parisian snack. Crisp, fresh radishes served alongside high-quality, soft-whipped butter and flaky sea salt for dipping
Choice Menu
Classic Steak Tartare: Hand-chopped beef tenderloin seasoned with shallots, capers, and Dijon mustard. Served with a raw egg yolk and toasted brioche
French Onion Soup (Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée) : The bistro classic, elevated with a rich, dark, homemade beef broth, slow-caramelized onions, and aged Gruyère cheese
Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon-Butter Sauce: Two jumbo scallops, seared to a perfect golden-brown crust, and served simply with a sauce of browned butter, fresh lemon, and parsley
Custom Option
Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Orange Sauce (Canard à l'Orange) : A perfectly cooked duck breast with crispy skin, served with a classic bigarade sauce made from orange juice and zest. Accompanied by a simple potato purée
Filet Mignon with Red Wine Reduction: A prime center-cut filet mignon, cooked to your preference, and topped with a rich, house-made red wine and shallot reduction sauce. Served with roasted asparagus
Sea Bass with Vierge Sauce (Loup de Mer, Sauce Vierge) : A pan-seared Sea Bass fillet with crispy skin, served over a bed of spinach and topped with a fresh "vierge" sauce of diced tomatoes, olive oil, lemon, and herbs
Choice Menu Option
Crème Brûlée Surprise: A rich and creamy vanilla bean custard with a perfectly torched, crackling sugar crust and a sweet surprise in the middle
Chocolate Lava Cake (Mi-Cuit au Chocolat): A warm, individual chocolate cake with a gooey, molten center, served with a fresh raspberry coulis
Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce: Light choux pastry puffs filled with vanilla cream or ice cream, generously drizzled with a warm, dark chocolate sauce
Custom Choice Menu
View full menu
Gougères: Classic French cheese puffs made with Gruyère cheese. Light, airy, and served warm
Mushroom Vol-au-Vents: Small, flaky puff pastry cases filled with a creamy mushroom and herb ragout
Tapenade Crostini with Tomato Confit: Toasted baguette slices topped with a savory black olive tapenade and a slow-roasted sweet cherry tomato
Choice menu option
Soupe à l'Oignon Gratinée (French Onion Soup): The timeless classic. A rich beef and onion broth, topped with a crusty crouton and melted Gruyère cheese
Salade Lyonnaise: A warm salad of frisée lettuce, crispy bacon (lardons), a perfectly poached egg, and a sharp Dijon vinaigrette
Brandade de Morue: A creamy emulsion of salt cod and olive oil, whipped with potatoes until smooth. Served with toasted bread for dipping
Custom menu choice
Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine) : Chicken thighs braised slowly in red wine with mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon. Served over a creamy potato purée
Beef Bourguignon: A hearty and elegant beef stew. Cubes of beef are slow-cooked in Burgundy wine until meltingly tender, with carrots, onions, and herbs. Served with buttered noodles or potato purée
Trout Amandine: A delicate trout fillet pan-seared until the skin is crisp, then topped with a brown butter (beurre noisette) sauce with toasted almonds and a squeeze of lemon. Served with haricots verts (French green beans)
Custom Choice
Mousse au Chocolat (Dark Chocolate Mousse) : A light and airy mousse made from high-quality dark chocolate, served with a dollop of whipped cream
Crème Brûlée: A rich vanilla bean custard base with a perfectly torched, crackling sugar crust
Tarte Tatin: A classic upside-down apple tart. Apples are caramelized in butter and sugar before being baked with a puff pastry crust. Served warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
Choice option
View full menu
Nikkei-Style Corvina Ceviche: Cubes of fresh sea bass cured in a "leche de tigre" with a touch of soy, ginger, and sesame oil. Served with avocado, crunchy cancha corn, and thin slices of red onion
Sesame-Crusted Tuna Tataki: Fresh tuna loin, seared at high heat with a toasted sesame crust, leaving it rare and tender on the inside. Served in thin slices over a citrus soy sauce
Steamed Pork Dumplings with Ponzu Sauce: House-made dumplings filled with marinated pork and vegetables, steamed until tender and served with a citrusy ponzu sauce and a touch of chili oil
Choice for Custom Menu
Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Shrimp: Fresh (not fried) rolls wrapped in rice paper, filled with jumbo shrimp, rice noodles, mint, basil, and lettuce. Served with a creamy peanut dipping sauce
Crispy Octopus with Sweet and Sour Sauce: Pieces of tender cooked octopus, battered and fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Tossed in a pineapple-based sweet and sour sauce and garnished with chopped chives
Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup): A classic, aromatic, and creamy Thai soup. Coconut broth infused with galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass, with tender chicken pieces and mushrooms
Custom Menu Choice
Grilled Catch of the Day with Green Curry and Jasmine Rice: A fresh fillet of snapper or sea bass with crispy skin, served over a creamy and aromatic Thai green curry sauce, and accompanied by jasmine rice
Beef Tenderloin and Broccoli Stir-Fry: Tender chunks of beef tenderloin, stir-fried at high heat in a wok with fresh broccoli, oyster sauce, garlic, and ginger. An elevated Cantonese classic
Hoisin and Orange Glazed Pork Ribs: Pork ribs, slow-cooked until incredibly tender, then glazed under the broiler with a sticky sauce of hoisin, orange juice, and a touch of ginger. Served with sweet potato purée
Custom Choice
Coconut Panna Cotta with Mango and Passion Fruit Sauce
Moist Pineapple and Ginger Cake: A dense and moist cake made with caramelized pineapple and a touch of candied ginger, served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
Chocolate and Cardamom Mousse: A creamy dark chocolate mousse with the aromatic and exotic touch of cardamom, served with pieces of candied orange
Choice Option
View full menu
Pork and Cabbage Gyoza: Classic Japanese dumplings, pan-seared until golden and crisp on one side, and tender on the other. Filled with juicy pork and cabbage, served with a soy and rice vinegar dipping sauce
Korean Fried Chicken Wings: Extra-crispy, double-fried chicken wings, tossed in a sweet and slightly spicy gochujang-based sauce. Finished with toasted sesame seeds
Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls: Crispy fried rolls, filled with glass noodles, ground pork, and vegetables. Served with fresh lettuce, mint, and the traditional nuoc cham dipping sauce
Choice Menu Option
Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce : Chicken skewers marinated in turmeric and coconut milk, grilled to perfection. Served with a rich and creamy peanut sauce and a pickled cucumber relish
Beef Bulgogi Skewers: Thin slices of beef marinated in classic Korean bulgogi sauce (soy, Asian pear, garlic, and sesame oil), skewered and grilled for a delicious caramelized flavor
Chicken & Scallion Yakitori (Negima): The most popular skewer from Japanese "izakayas." Chunks of tender chicken thigh alternated with scallion, grilled over charcoal and glazed with a sweet soy sauce (tare)
Custom Menu Option
Pad Thai with Shrimp: Thailand's most famous noodle dish. Rice noodles stir-fried in a wok with shrimp, tofu, bean sprouts, and chives, all brought together by a sweet and sour tamarind sauce and topped with crushed peanuts
Tonkotsu Ramen: A deep, comforting bowl of Japanese soup. Creamy 12-hour pork broth served with wavy noodles, tender pork belly (chashu), a marinated soft-boiled egg (ajitama), and nori seaweed
Kimchi Fried Rice with Egg: A Korean comfort food classic. Steamed rice is stir-fried with aged kimchi, pork belly, and sesame oil, then topped with a sunny-side-up egg with a runny yolk
Custom Choice
Mango Sticky Rice: The quintessential Thai dessert. Sweet glutinous rice, steamed and served with slices of fresh, ripe mango, and drizzled with a silky coconut cream
Mochi Ice Cream: Scoops of ice cream wrapped in a soft, chewy rice cake dough (mochi)
Thai Banana Roti: A hugely popular Thai street food dessert. A thin, unleavened pancake stretched and pan-fied in butter until crispy and golden, folded around fresh banana slices and then drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. Sweet, crispy, and gooey
Choice Option
View full menu
Grilled Octopus with Potato Cream: A whole, tender octopus tentacle, grilled until smoky and crisp, served over a velvety cream of potato and garnished with smoked paprika olive oil
Parmigiano-Reggiano Flan: A savory and delicate baked custard made with 36-month aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, served warm with a drizzle of balsamic reduction and a prosciutto crisp
Langoustine Crudo with Citrus Zest: Sweet, sashimi-grade langoustines, served raw and delicate, dressed simply with top-quality olive oil, fresh citrus zest, and a hint of chili
Choice Menu Option
Fettuccine Alfredo (Original Roman Style) : The authentic, luxurious masterpiece. Freshly made fettuccine vigorously tossed with imported butter and aged Parmigiano-Reggiano until a divine, creamy sauce is formed
Risotto with Barolo Wine and Braised Sausage: A robust and noble risotto from the north, made with rich Barolo wine and finely crumbled, slow-braised Italian sausage, finished with aged Parmesan
Salt-Crusted Whole Sea Bass (Branzino al Sale) : A whole Mediterranean sea bass baked in a thick crust of sea salt, which keeps the fish incredibly moist and flavorful. Filleted tableside and served with lemon and olive oil
Choice for Custom Menu
Veal Chop "Milanese Style": A thick, bone-in veal chop, pounded thin, breaded, and fried in clarified butter until golden brown. Served with a simple arugula and cherry tomato salad
Pan-Seared Halibut with Mediterranean Salsa: A thick, prime fillet of halibut, pan-seared to achieve a crispy skin and moist interior. Served over a saffron risotto and topped with a fresh "salsa" of olives, capers, and tomatoes
Osso Buco with Gremolata: A substantial veal shank, slow-braised for hours in a savory broth of white wine and vegetables until it falls off the bone. Served over creamy polenta and finished with a zesty gremolata (parsley, lemon, garlic)
Choice Menu
Profiteroles with Warm Chocolate Sauce
Babà al Rum : A famous specialty from Naples. A soft, rich yeast cake, baked and then soaked thoroughly in a hot syrup made with high-quality dark rum and citrus zest. Served with a dollop of whipped cream or fresh berries
Crostata di Frutta Fresca (Seasonal Fruit Tart) : An elegant, bakery-style tart with a buttery pastry crust filled with a delicate vanilla pastry cream (crema pasticcera) and artfully topped with an arrangement of the best seasonal fresh fruits
Choice option
View full menu
Beef Carpaccio with Truffle & Parmesan: Paper-thin slices of prime beef tenderloin, drizzled with white truffle oil, topped with rocket (arugula), and finished with shaved 24-month Parmigiano-Reggiano
Premium Fried Calamari : Tender, fresh calamari rings and tentacles, lightly battered and fried to a perfect crisp. Served with a house-made spicy marinara sauce and a lemon wedge
Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes & Prosciutto ◦ Creamy, fresh burrata cheese served with a variety of colorful heirloom tomatoes, basil, aged Prosciutto di Parma, and a drizzle of fine aged balsamic vinegar
Choice for Custom Menu
Pappardelle with Short Rib Ragù : Wide, fresh pappardelle noodles tossed in a rich, slow-braised beef short rib ragù that has simmered for hours with red wine and aromatic herbs
Cacio e Pepe: A Roman masterpiece of simplicity. Fresh tonnarelli pasta tossed with high-quality Pecorino Romano cheese and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper
Baked Gnocchi alla Sorrentina: Pillowy house-made potato gnocchi baked in a rich San Marzano tomato sauce with fresh basil and topped with melted buffalo mozzarella
Choice Option
Chicken Marsala : A tender, free-range chicken breast, pan-seared to a golden brown and smothered in a classic, savory sauce made from rich Marsala wine and wild mushrooms. Paired with roasted asparagus
Jumbo Shrimp Scampi : Large jumbo shrimp sautéed in a rich, flavorful sauce of garlic, white wine, lemon juice, and butter, tossed with fresh parsley. Served with grilled artisan bread for dipping
Pork Saltimbocca : Tender pork loin, layered with aged Prosciutto di Parma and fresh sage, pan-seared and finished with a delicate white wine and butter sauce. Served over creamy polenta
Custom Menu Option
Poached Pears in Red Wine with Ice Cream
Cannolis
Zabaione with Berries
Custom Choice
View full menu
Book your experience with Chef Epicurea Atelier
Specify the details of your requests and the chef will send you a custom menu just for you.








Take a Chef services in nearby cities
Discover cities near San José where you can enjoy a Chef At Home service
Cities where you can enjoy a Chef
Discover cities of Costa Rica where you can enjoy our experiences.







