Imagine spending a week surfing world-class waves at your doorstep, then indulging on to-die-for cuisine prepared steps from your room by a world-class chef… we are proud to say we have it all here at Pura Vida Adventures! Our retreat chef Randy Siles is a renowned master whose healthy, innovative, and sustainable cuisine takes our all-inclusive retreats to the next level.   

From being featured in the January 2018 edition of Forbes Magazine Central America, to cooking alongside Michelin Star chefs at an elite event in France and being invited to join the most prestigious French gastronomy club, Siles is skyrocketing as one of the most celebrated chefs in Central America and beyond. He is the master chef at Shambala, the beachfront restaurant and bar that is the heart and soul of our retreat hotel, Tropico Latino. Siles and his top-notch team serve us the nourishing and delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners (and yummy cocktails!) that keep us well-fueled and happy during our retreats.     

Using the freshest ingredients sourced from local organic farms, Siles creates healthy, inventive dishes that are a food lover’s dream. Many of our guests’ favorite fresh salads and dinners showcase catch-of-the-day fish, typically grilled mahi mahi or red snapper, caught by local fishermen and prepared by Siles to gourmet perfection. Fresh twists on traditional Costa Rican dishes are also top picks on the menu. Being treated to one of Siles’s mouth-watering meals next to the breezy Pacific Ocean, after an amazing morning surf, or dining under the stars is truly an unforgettable experience.

Siles is supported by a highly-trained team of local youth who have been chosen for his nonprofit program, Artesanos de la Gastronomía, which rescues young people at social risk in the tourist area of Santa Teresa and trains them in different branches of culinary arts. These hardworking young cooks, waiters, and bartenders take amazing care of our guests, greeting us throughout the day with a warm smile and a “pura vida” hello. Many are passionate surfers themselves, and are always willing to offer a bit of local knowledge or fun Spanish practice over a cup of coffee. Under Siles’s guidance, the entire team is dedicated to offering exceptional and memorable service to the guests of Pura Vida Adventures.

Siles’s star continues to rise as Costa Rica’s first Chef Ambassador for the National Plan of Sustainable Healthy Gastronomy, which is garnering him international acclaim. He regularly shows off his innovative Costa Rican recipes at key gastronomy tourist industry fairs, including the New York TimesTravel Show, SOBE Miami Food and Wine, Montreal Travel Show, and other events around the world. He also does research with working visits to Michelin starred restaurants in Europe and Asia. Last autumn he traveled through Spain, France and Italy cooking with celebrity chefs, giving media interviews, promoting Costa Rican cuisine and looking for new culinary experiences.

But at the beach is where Siles says he feels most at home, and we love getting to experience his culinary creations each day during our surf and yoga retreats. It doesn’t get much better than this!