Please Note: Current CDC and Smithsonian COVID-19 guidelines will be followed at the time of the program.
Celebrate Candlelight Day at Elcielo, Washington, D.C.’s only Michelin-starred Colombian fine-dining restaurant.
A traditional Colombian holiday, Candlelight Day—Alumbrado o Noche de Velitas—is celebrated on December 7, the eve of the Immaculate Conception. On this unofficial start of the Christmas season, people place candles and paper lanterns on windowsills, balconies, porches, sidewalks, streets, and in parks and squares. Typical Colombian foods such as custard, buñuelos, Santafereño chocolate, and breads such as arepas, almojabanas, and yuca are shared with family and friends.
The restaurant, helmed by celebrity chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, features a menu that is a tribute to Colombian cuisine and an ambiance that transports you to the beautiful beaches of Cartagena and the mysterious corners of the Amazon jungle. The tasting menu includes 22 courses, steps, and dishes as well as surprising sensory moments like Choco-therapy, where your hands are covered with chocolate, and signature dishes like The Tree of Life—yucca bread constructed on a wire bonsai tree to represent the lung of the world—the Amazon rainforest.
Enjoy an abbreviated version of Elcielo’s tasting menu, with five courses specially created for the holiday season. Representatives from the Embassy of Colombia join diners to discuss the holiday and the menu’s traditional foods.
General Information
- Registration for this program will end by 12 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 7, 2022.
