La Familia

Argentina: Land of Amazing Food, Friends, Wine & Soccer…

Nonna Emma

I have spent my whole childhood surrounded by my parents and grandmothers cooking.

My nonna Emma Di Leo would make the most delicious pasta and tomato sauce I’ve ever tasted. Everything she made was fresh, extremely delicious and, of course, from scratch! I was her first grandchild, so she literally adored me.

She taught me to cook, knit, sew, and obviously the love for family, tradition, and food!

Sundays at The Table

Sundays were sacred! Always homemade pasta and everyone sitting at the table, nonna Emma always sat at the head of the table, like in the movie Il Padrino (“The Godfather”).

Her parents came from Taormina, Sicily, Italy.

The Di Leo family had a bakery for centuries and while visiting Taormina, I could almost smell the just baked bread, nonna Cayetana and nonno Pancrazio used to bake from 5 am every morning for all their clients.

Grandmother Carmen Carlota Estrada

My “Abuela” Carmen Carlota Estrada, my mother’s mom, was from Almeria, Andalusia, Spain, a village right on the Mediterranean.

She will wait with her arms wide open, for my mother to take me to her house every other weekend, and we’ll go together to the farmers market to pick up the best ingredients for our dinner.

I was her first grandchild too, so I got to experience that unique feeling of having grandma’s extra time for teaching me so much.

I would help her in the kitchen while she would tell me stories of her childhood.

The Queen and the Psychologist

My mother, being a prestigious psychologist and a “queen”

Yes, she was Miss Tucumán and Princess of Argentina at the age of nineteen.

She didn’t have a lot of time for cooking, but she taught me lots of recipes and I had to replace her in the kitchen, so I started cooking at the age of twelve.

Mi father

I gained the most influence from my dad.

My father had restaurants and catering companies all his life and cooked until his last days on earth.

I bet he’s still making his pasta in heaven while watching over me with his always gentle loving eyes.

I worked with him for years. He taught me so many recipes, I will try to share most of them with you.

My brother

My brother Sebastian is one of the best Chefs I’ve known as well. His pizzas are beyond earth!

While having breakfast, my father, would discuss with Sebastian and i, what we would be cooking for lunch, while having lunch, what would be served for dinner, and like this, every day. Lol.

Food was always the main topic in all our conversations, and we laugh so much! We were all funny clowns.

We’ll laugh a lot, cook a lot, talk very loud, and eat with the family together all the time. Family was and is everything in my life.

All those childhood memories define me and my cooking techniques today.

My children

Now with my three beautiful, amazing, successful children, who also love to cook:

They are the pillars that support Buenos Aires Restaurant, Coffee Place, and Bakery, my life and happiness.

Ivan (Ivanchi), Simon (Timmy), and my princess Lourdes (Lulu)—my master baker (founder and owner of Lulu’s Bakery since the age of eighteen!!).

We cook and eat “a lot” to keep tradition alive! Lol