Argentine talent making waves in Brazil

Restaurant watchers and foodies might lament the absence of the anticipated third Michelin guide ceremony this year, as a lack of funding — or perhaps an unwillingness to invest in the French guide — has put the kibosh on that enterprise.  Until now, it has only benefitted the city of Buenos Aires and the province of Mendoza — because they are the ones who have forked out for it. But, hopefully, their woe over the loss of that culinary red carpet event will be assuaged by a new entry in fine-dining grading, as non à Michelin has apparently paved the way for an all-new Argentina-led guide that will ‘replace’ the anonymous beret-wearing (not really) and napkin-dropping (really) inspectors and their opinions. While no launch date has been set, the collaboration between state-owned energy company YPF and the Argentine Gastronomy Academy will be a national venture, which I wholeheartedly applaud, though it is concerning that of the 43 board members, only two are women (although María Podestá has led the organisation since 2006). Let’s hope this new endeavour doesn’t end up becoming another excuse for the old boys’ club applauding the familiar faces of a narrow field. Cora and Bar dos Arcos Meanwhile, the gastronomical powerhouse next door is now home to two restaurants that have affixed the much-coveted three Michelin star plaques to their front doors. The ceremony at the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro two weeks ago ensured Brazil has made it into the gastro history books, as it became the first country in Latin America to receive the awards through the dedication of the teams behind Tuyu and Evvai; both located in São Paulo. One guest I came across at the red carpet event last week was Jujuy-born chef Pablo Inca, who leads Cora restaurant in the Centro district of the metropolis. I last ate there in December with a group of winemakers and leading sommelier light Paz Levinson, where Inca showed his prowess at elevating simplicity with many (but not exclusively) vegetarian dishes such as Caqui and Mozzarella. Pablo Inca Just after entering the guide for the first time in 2024, Inca told me about the respect he holds for his trade: “For the product, the producers, the people, our customers, our work, and honesty in everything we do and everything we serve.” In Rio, his main concern was for Cora to retain Bib Gourmand status, that’s to say, “offering high-quality food at moderate, affordable prices” according to the French guide. His luck — and dedication — has paid off, and Cora is still offering great value. Book your table on the sixth floor of Rua Amaral Gurgel 344. Inca isn’t the only Argentine making his mark in Brazil. In 2018, Cynthia Soledad Zamora, better known as Chula Barmaid, was headhunted by the group behind cool basement Bar dos Arcos and moved to Sao Paulo to open the cocktail bar, like Cora, located in the Centro district. Once Brazil opened up after the pandemic, she headed to Ecuador for a project, returning to São Paulo in early 2022. Later that year, she was named Bartender of the Year by the prestigious gastronomy publication Veja, and since then she has been working freelance, developing her consultancy. Chula Barmaid Chula’s good works include menu design for several bars including Atlántico 212, Buteco de Amanú and Barracuda in Itacaré. Eighteen months ago, she opened Brim, a specialty coffee shop and restaurant. But her energy and initiative haven’t abated with finally opening her own space.  “This year I’ve focused on designing and working with architects on bar operations,” she says. From Salta to Rio While São Paulo is very much the fine-dining epicentre of Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro the Salta-born chef Bernabé Simón Padrós opened Emile a month ago. His culinary pedigree is pure, spending the past eight years at Casa Tupac in Lima, better known for housing former world’s best restaurant Central and award-winning sibling establishment Kjolle. It was at the latter — as the right-hand of chef-patron Pía León — that he has become most known, fortunately jacking in degrees in Law, and Sound and Image to follow his food future and, at the end of 2025, flying the Peruvian Pacific for the Brazilian Atlantic. Located inside the five-star Emiliano Rio hotel in Copacabana, Simón Padrós has been tasked with overhauling the restaurant with a fresh perspective. A maximum of four ingredients drive flavours, such as the catch of the day with koshu yuzu fruit and coriander leaf that you and I would likely call ceviche but is a more sophisticated presentation. With a new ocean on his doorstep, the chef makes the most of local products, such as cavaquinha (a lobster relative), ginger and spaghetti.  Simón Padrós “I wasn’t sure whether a pasta dish would work here,” he told me, “but it’s fast becoming the dish that guests are returning for, to order again.” Of course Inca, Chula and Simón Padrós aren’t the only hospitality talents making a name for themselves, but in a country as vast as Brazil, it’s wonderful to be able to shine the spotlight on them. Further afield, in the cocktail world, bartenders Melany Marcati and Guillermina Portela are key team members at award-winning bar Alquimíco in Cartagena, Colombia; Bianca Bertoli leads the Brujas bar in Mexico City; while Argentina’s 2025 World Class contest winner Santiago Angeletti joined the bar team at Paradiso – voted as the world’s best bar in 2022 – in Barcelona, Spain. It’s a shame Argentina has given up some of its better talents but how wonderful to celebrate them. Be sure to look them up if you’re travelling their way.