Federico Ribotta
TIERRA DEL FUEGO
This 43-year-old chef, with a 26-year career in the world of gastronomy, is an example of professionalism and commitment. As a small child he discovered that his family revolved around love of and dedication to cooking, and without his realising it, that instilled in him a passion for this profession. The importance of family, curiosity and love led him to start building his career, training at Azafrán Escuela de Gastronomía and then working in the kitchens of Spanish and Italian restaurants in his native Córdoba, where he breathed in the aromas of his home, of his childhood.
In 2004 he travelled to the Basque Country, to San Sebastián, where he worked as a cook in the restaurant of the renowned Martín Berasategui. He then went to France, working in restaurants in Biarritz, and from there to the border between Switzerland and Italy, where he worked in a mountain restaurant. He returned to Córdoba, now as chef in a couple of kitchens, and from all that international experience he came to Ushuaia, where he remains to this day: since 2018 he has been Executive Chef of the incredible “Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa”, both of the “La Cravia” restaurant and of every gastronomic project the Resort carries out.
In 2022 he returned to the Basque Country, to San Sebastián, to complete his studies at the select and internationally renowned “Basque Culinary Center”.
The chef stands out for his passion for gastronomy, his respect for the product and the way he enhances it naturally in every dish, with a seasonal cuisine that follows the time of year. He adopted his profession as a way of life, and today he is part of the excellent moment Argentine gastronomy is living, a moment owed to the products and to the producers who give Argentine cuisine its identity: the wonderful raw materials this country produces, together with the training of Argentine chefs, are the fundamental factors behind this great moment.
La Cravia Restaurant · Arakur Ushuaia Resort & Spa
Recipe · Federico Ribotta: Patagonian octopus
- Octopus — 400 g
- Aubergine purée — 180 g
- Yellow pepper — 10 g
- Green pepper — 10 g
- Red pepper — 10 g
- Red onion — 10 g
- Citrus vinaigrette — 20 g
- Paprika — 5 g
- Tuile — 1
- Aceite de Oliva Extra Virgen by Argentine Delights — 30 g
- Cristales de Sal Marina Atlántica de Península Valdés con Trufa Negra by Argentine Delights — 5 g
METHOD
AUBERGINE PURÉE: Wash and prick the aubergines, and roast them at 220 °C for 25 minutes, or until very tender. In a bowl, scoop out the flesh and discard the skins. Add Aceite de Oliva Extra Virgen by Argentine Delights and Cristales de Sal Marina Atlántica de Península Valdés con Trufa Negra by Argentine Delights, fresh herbs and lemon zest.
Cook the octopus in plenty of boiling water with coarse salt and bay leaves for 15 minutes, and leave it to cool in the same broth. Once cold, sear it on both sides on a very hot griddle with olive oil.
Warm the aubergine purée. In a bowl, toss the peppers with the vinaigrette. Separately, mix the paprika with the Aceite de Oliva Extra Virgen by Argentine Delights. Once the octopus is well seared, glaze the tentacle with the paprika oil.
In a deep plate, lay the aubergine purée as a base, the octopus on top and finally the criolla salsa, and finish with Cristales de Sal Marina Atlántica de Península Valdés con Trufa Negra by Argentine Delights. Garnish with a tuile.