Deeply rooted in the culinary tradition of Argentina, Francis Mallmann is the most famed and popular of Latin American chefs. He first discovered a taste for cooking in Patagonia, when he was just 20. After several years at the head of a successful operation, he felt the need to broaden his experience and understanding. He therefore headed to France, spending two years working closely with the greatest chefs on the scene, including Paul Bocuse, and in the most prestigious kitchens in Paris. He then returned to Argentina to lead the kitchen of one of the country's hottest restaurants. In 1983, he wanted to start his own business, and opened an establishment in Palermo, well before that neighbourhood became popular. During the day, he would teach courses for 150 student and, in the evening, in a little room, set up a private restaurant with five tables offering a cuisine that was sophisticated, gourmet, and... exorbitantly priced, making it absolutely unique in that era. In 1996, he was honoured with the Grand Prix de l'Art de la Cuisine by the International Academy of Gastronomy. Although he had been the dominant figure of new cuisine in Argentina, he chose to increasingly lean toward the rustic cuisine of his country. As passionate as ever about his profession, Mallmann owns a number of restaurants and has long hosted television programs on the elgourmet.com channel. Here, the bon vivant works "outside the box," comfortably sharing his eccentricities and love of nature with colleagues, friends and fans. The "maestro of fire" is undeniably one of the most charming and fanciful of chefs.