The Argentine food seen entered the global elite on Friday after the Michelin Guide awarded its first stars in the country.
Seven restaurants were chosen in this edition, all of them in Buenos Aires and Mendoza, the western province at the feet of the Andes mountain range and known for producing top quality wines, to the point that vineyard Catena Zapata was chosen as the best in the world by specialized publication World's Best Vineyards.
Going back to the Michelin stars, Aramburu, located in Buenos Aires, was given two, an honor the guide describes for restaurants that have excellent cooking and are worth a detour on a trip. The other six were given one star, which is described as having very good cooking. All of them will be featured in the 2024 and 2025 Michelin Guide.
"It's crazy, no? We are deeply moved, overwhelmed by joy. It's all a result of work, effort, love. I've known the Michelin Guide since I started working at age 20 and it's our turn today, I can't believe it. Having two stars was a dream for me, I didn't expect it," chef Gonzalo Aramburu told Infobae.
The other two restaurants based in Buenos Aires got one star. They are Trescha, by chef Tomas Treschansky, and the iconic parrilla Don Julio, known for making some of the best meat in the world and being a stop most global stars take when going to the country.
Don Julio is usually featured in rankings listing the best restaurants in the world, the latest example being its 18th spot in the 50 Best Restaurants in the world ranking for 2023. "All the beef at Don Julio comes from grass-fed Aberdeen Angus and Hereford cattle, raised in the countryside outside Buenos Aires. It is stored in a climate-controlled ageing chamber for at least 21 days to reach optimum maturity. Then, it's passed into the hands of Guido Tassi, the charcuterie specialist who heads up the kitchen, and finally onto the plate. Match with beautiful Malbec for the full experience," said 50 Best about Don Julio.
The restaurants with one Michelin star in Mendoza are the following: Zonda Cocina de Paisaje, Casa Vigil, Brindillas and Azafran. Moreover, another 57 restaurants made it to the list of recommendations, 42 of them in Buenos Aires and 15 in Mendoza.
Tomas Treschansky, from Trescha, was given the Michelin Young Chef Award 2024. "Winning this is my dream since I started cooking. I'm extremely happy," he said.
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