It’s not about importing anymore exotic foods to design a letter. The objective of the new gastronomic searches is to be able to put together an attractive and quality menu with fresh and regional products. With that premise he landed in Salta The Baqueanoone of the best restaurants in Latin America and which stood out in Buenos Aires circuit for betting on a kitchen that combines the autochthonous with the modern and the seasonal.
The Salta headquarters will also be the first restaurant-school in Argentina and is located on the San Bernardo hill, in a glass building that offers a privileged view of the city. Behind the project are the sommelier Gabriela Lafuente and the chef Fernando Rivarola, who stresses that the search tries “not to touch the traditions and work in the Puna ecoregion.”
Far from the imaginary that reduces northern gastronomy to empanadas, El Baqueano demonstrates the native wealth and the possibility of being able to go further without breaking with customs. Quinoa, legumes and meats are the epicenter of a 22-course menu.
local production
In San Telmo, El Baqueano was selected in 21st place in the ranking 50 Best Restaurants of Latin America and some of its dishes became distinctive brands, such as alligator empanadas or pacú choripán. “In Buenos Aires we managed to make a difference with non-traditional meats and here we are going to be able to broaden the spectrum a bit,” says Rivarola.
The lambs Texel breed raised in Talapampa, 90 kilometers from the city of Salta, beef from the local headquarters of Cabañas del Juramento, Creole cattle from the hill and goats from Cafayate are some of the options that the restaurant will offer.
“We also want to put a lot of emphasis on fish, which is not something that is so closely associated with NOA. The pejerrey from the Dique Cabra Corral is of the highest quality and in Chicoana there is a trout farm that is really very good. The pacú, which we have been working on for a long time, will also have an important place,” added the cook.
Rosario de la Frontera offers the possibility of accessing pallar beans and seasonal legumes and, how could it be otherwise in this region of Argentina, quinoa and different types of corn will have a prominent presence.
The inauguration of the Salta headquarters of El Baqueano had the support of the municipality and the government of Salta, who intend to expand the local gastronomic circuit. In addition, the Ministry of Tourism of the Nation awarded it the Country Brand distinction “for the gastronomic value and the identity that it represents in its meals.” “We want to generate a geographical reference, attest that something of excellence can be generated with producers in the region,” Rivarola concluded.
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