Santiago Etchegaray
Argentine chef and co-founder of Los Porfiados in Madrid's Lavapiés neighbourhood.
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Santiago Etchegaray is an Argentine chef from Dolores, Buenos Aires province, who learned to cook from his mother. In 2013, during Spain's economic crisis, he and three friends, Victoria Facio, Fernando Nigro and Oriol Comas, pooled their savings to open Los Porfiados, a home-cooking restaurant in Madrid's Lavapiés neighbourhood, after five years running a cultural association called La Bagatela together. He leads the kitchen, known for empanadas and matambre.
Biography
Early years
Etchegaray is from Dolores, in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, and learned to cook from his mother.
Career
Before opening his own restaurant, Etchegaray spent five years with friends Victoria Facio, Fernando Nigro and Oriol Comas running La Bagatela, a cultural association next door that staged independent theatre. In 2013, during Spain's economic crisis, the four pooled their savings to open Los Porfiados in Lavapiés, taking over a location that had sat closed for eight months. Facio is also from Dolores; Nigro is from Boedo, in Buenos Aires; and Comas, an industrial engineer from Tiana, in Barcelona province, is the group's only non-Argentine.
Philosophy
His cooking reflects Argentine home-cooking sensibilities, in keeping with Los Porfiados' positioning as a casa de comidas (home-style restaurant). The house dish is the Matambre "Los Porfiados," alongside empanadas, milanesa napolitana and homemade desserts.
Restaurants
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Frequently asked
Who is the chef at Los Porfiados?
Santiago Etchegaray, an Argentine chef, co-founded and leads the kitchen at Los Porfiados in Madrid.
What cuisine does Los Porfiados serve?
Argentine home-style cooking, including empanadas, matambre and milanesa napolitana.
Where is Los Porfiados located?
On Calle de Buenavista in Madrid's Lavapiés neighbourhood, close to where the founders ran their La Bagatela theatre association.
When did Los Porfiados open?
In 2013, during Spain's economic crisis, when four friends pooled their savings to open it.
Who founded Los Porfiados?
Santiago Etchegaray, Victoria Facio and Fernando Nigro, all Argentine, and Oriol Comas, a Catalan industrial engineer.
Where is Santiago Etchegaray from?
He's from Dolores, in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, and learned to cook from his mother.
What is Los Porfiados' signature dish?
The Matambre "Los Porfiados," alongside empanadas and other home-cooked Argentine staples.