Chef Jaime Rodríguez of Celele, Cartagena, Colombia

Madre Selva is marking its first year in Atlanta with a guest chef dinner that reaches far beyond a typical anniversary celebration. On April 30, the restaurant will host Jaime Rodríguez, the chef behind Celele in Cartagena, currently ranked No. 48 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list.

The event, titled “Celele x Madre Selva,” will be a one-night-only, seven-course tasting experience with two seatings—5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.—and just 40 seats available per seating.

For Atlanta diners, it’s a rare opportunity to experience a chef whose work has helped redefine Colombian cuisine on the global stage.

A Menu Rooted in Place and Collaboration

The evening will bring together Rodríguez and Madre Selva’s culinary team, led by Chef Mayra Dominguez, in a collaborative menu built around the biodiversity and flavors of Colombia and Latin America.

Rather than a simple guest appearance, the dinner is designed as a shared expression between kitchens—one grounded in Cartagena’s coastal traditions, the other shaped by Madre Selva’s Peruvian and Nikkei influences.

The experience will also include three curated cocktails by bar director Alex Holender, adding a layer of South American cocktail culture to the evening.

Rodríguez’s work at Celele is known for its deep connection to local ecosystems and communities, drawing from fishermen, farmers, and indigenous traditions to create dishes that feel both modern and rooted. That philosophy is expected to carry into the Atlanta collaboration.

A Milestone Moment for Madre Selva

For Madre Selva, the dinner marks more than a special event—it signals a year of establishing itself as a distinctive voice in Atlanta’s dining scene.

Owner Juan Felipe Segura described the anniversary as a moment to reflect the restaurant’s original vision: a space where Latin American culinary traditions meet contemporary expression, inspired by the energy of coastal regions and jungle landscapes.

The April 30 dinner will also serve as the opening to a broader anniversary weekend, running May 1 through May 3, with live music, immersive design elements, and programming intended to bring the atmosphere of Colombia’s beaches and jungles into the restaurant.

Why This Event Stands Out

Atlanta’s dining scene regularly attracts high-level talent, but events tied to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list remain relatively rare. That gives this dinner a certain weight—not just as a celebration, but as a signal of the city’s growing presence in global culinary conversations.

For local readers who follow restaurant openings and food culture across Alpharetta, Johns Creek, and the broader North Atlanta area, this is the kind of event that reflects a larger trend: Atlanta continuing to draw international chefs and concepts into its orbit.

Tickets and Details

Tickets for the dinner are available through Madre Selva’s website, with limited seating expected to sell out quickly.

For those who miss the dinner itself, the anniversary weekend may offer a more accessible way to experience the restaurant’s evolving identity—less formal, but still rooted in the same atmosphere and energy.