Restaurant Agraz, Caesar Park Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is truly a feast for the senses, visible in the architecture, the music, the tango, and in the last 10 years, in their diversity of their cuisine.

While in Buenos Aires, I had the great pleasure of not only sampling the cuisine, but also interviewing two outstanding chefs – Chef Beatriz Chomnalez and Chef Germán Martitegui. (Read Luxury Experience article “Buenos Aires – A Feast for the Senses” for more information on Buenos Aires.)

Chef Beatriz Chomnalez (beatrizchom@yahoo.com.ar) has been the Pastry Chef at La Patisserie at Caesar Park Buenos Aires, Posadas 1232, C1011ABF Buenos Aires, (www.ceasar-park.com) for the last 4 years, where each day La Patisserie offers a delectable selection of breads, cookies, and pastries. In addition, she also has her own “Ecole de Cuisine” (Cooking School) This charming chef has a firm belief in continuing one’s education, and travels to Europe every year where she spends 2 ½ months, (1 month just in France, usually in Paris), learning and working alongside other top chefs. She has worked with some of the great chefs, including Alain Ducasse and Bernard Loiseau. She has an impeccable culinary pedigree having studied at 2 culinary schools in France, one of them the esteemed Cordon Bleu. When asked who is her favorite American chef, she mentioned Anne Williams. As for her school, she has never repeated the same menu in over 25 years, and has a student who has studied with her for 20 years! She teaches her students that it is important to continue to learn, and has no secrets from her students. She said that she loves being a teacher, and it showed when she spoke about her former student, Chef Germán Martitegui, who is now the chef at Restaurant Agraz – Caesar Park Buenos Aires, Argentina. She said that he is one of the most important chefs in Buenos Aires, and is like a son to her. I know that the next time I return to Caesar Park Buenos Aires, I will definitely arrange my schedule to allow for a cooking class with Chef Chomnalez.

Chef Germán Martitegui, began his career 15 years ago, studying with Chef Beatriz Chomnalez. After working with Relais & Chateaux for 3 years, (in the French Alps, Lyon and Corsica), he spent 1 year in Los Angeles doing an internship at La Brea, before returning to Buenos Aires where he worked for Francis Malman for about 5 years. From there he went to

Miami for 1 year, before returning to Buenos Aires 4 ½ years ago, where he joined Restaurant Agraz – Caesar Park Buenos Aires. After sampling the innovative creations of this extremely versatile and talented chef, at both lunch and dinner at the restaurant, “Portenos” (Buenos Aires residents) have a reason to celebrate! Another reason to celebrate is that Chef Martitegui also has his own restaurant, called Olsen, (restaurantolsen@netizen.com.ar) which features Scandinavian cuisine.

Thank you to Chef Germán Martitegui of Restaurant Agraz – Caesar Park Buenos Aires, Argentina who shares a few of his special recipes with Luxury Experience.

Carrot Crème Brulee with Brie Cheese and Portobello Mushrooms

Carrot Juice of carrots 1 cup
Cream 2 cups
Carrots 600 grams
Grated rind of 1 orange
Sugar 2 teaspoons
8 egg yolks
Boil the carrots with their skin, and then peel them. Process all ingredients well.

Brie cheese 300 grams
Shallots 4
Portobello mushrooms 200 grams

Cut the Brie cheese in small pieces. Cut the Portobello mushrooms in fine strips and sauté in a small amount of olive oil.

In the base of each mold place the shallots, and then add the Brie cheese, and the Portobello mushrooms and finish with the mixture of carrots. Bake at 160 degrees for 20 minutes or until set. Caramelize each crème with sugar.

Patagonian Deer with a Mushroom Crust, “Cuartirolo” Cheese and “Humita”

Paprika 4 teaspoon
Cumin 1 teaspoon
Garlic powder 1 teaspoon
Dry thyme 1 teaspoon
Lime rind 1
Seeds 1 teaspoon
Saffron 2 strands
Parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons
Hot chili pepper 1
Back of red deer 1.6 kg.
Olive oil 200 milliliter
Garlic 4 cloves
Rosemary 1 sprig

Mix paprika, cumin, garlic powder, thyme, lime rind, seeds, saffron and chopped parsley. Marinate the deer meat in the olive oil with garlic and the rosemary. Process the “Cuartirolo” cheese until it forms a paste. Make a small insertion in the deer backs and fill up it with 2 spoonfuls of "Cuartirolo,” and close the opening. Roll the deer meat in oil and the mixture of spices. Put in the oven to cook.

Quinces 1 kg.
Shitake mushrooms 400 grams

Cut the shitake mushrooms in quarters and cut the quinces in eight sections. Coat them the mushrooms and quinces with corn oil, salt and pepper. Cook the quinces for 30 minutes at 180 degrees and the mushrooms for 10 minutes.

Floating Island with Coffee and Lemon Grass

For the cream:
7 yolks
Cream 400 grams
Milk 100 milliliters
Sugar 100 grams
Zest of lemon
Lemon grass 2 branches

To make the English cream: Prick lemon grass and make an infusion with the milk and the cream. Afterwards, proceed like you would with any English cream and let cool.

For the meringue:
Egg Whites 200 grams
Sugar 400 grams
Coffee 2 cups

For the meringue: Beat the egg whites and make a meringue. Make a syrup of the coffee and sugar and add to this Italian meringue.