Episode 22: Francis Mallmann

This week on Chef’s Story, Dorothy Cann Hamilton is joined by renowned Argentine chef Francis Mallmann, chef/owner at 1884 in the Argentine wine region of Mendoza; Patagonia Sur, in Buenos Aires; and the Hotel & Restaurant Garzon in Uruguay. Find out why he traded French haute cuisine for a different approach and started to focus on grilling and fire. Hear his seven techniques for cooking with fire, and learn about how his South American influences informed his career. Tune in as Francis tells listeners about “The Uncertain Edge of Burnt”, and gives tips for grilling and cooking with heat! From cowboy culture to French technique, learn all about the many sides of chef Mallman, Latin America’s pre-eminent chef. This program was sponsored by Whole Foods Market

“When you admire chefs a lot, and I think the same can be said for musicians and painters, you just try to copy things – especially when you’re young.” [13:15]

“It takes about 20 years of cooking to find your own [culinary] language.” [14:00]

“People think of fire as a powerful and male thing, but fire for cooking is an extremely fragile and feminine thing… The beauty of cooking with fire is patience and reading what’s happening and then trying to get things exactly the way you want.” [17:05]

“France is still very strong in my cooking. You can’t see it, but that training is still with me.” [21:20]

“It’s very easy to use sauces and confuse people with lots of things on a plate, but I don’t like that type of cuisine.” [25:20]

“I don’t believe in harmony in food – I like dissonance. Harmony when you eat is for babies, when we grow up we need dissonance. If everything is salty, it’s no good. It’s nice to have one part extremely salty and nice and then mix it up with the rest.” [22:15]

–chef Francis Mallmann on Chef’s Story