Argentine cuisine gains ground in Miami

The official asks for a few minutes, and by the time we sit down in the living room of his office he has caught his breath.

He will chat exclusively with Scope for an hour and a half.

Journalist: Beyond situations like today’s, in which the Consulate has sadly specific functions, Miami is experiencing a boom in Argentine culture. What plans does the Consulate have in this regard?

Marcelo Gilardoni: The truth is that we are experiencing something extraordinary, even accentuated by the triumph in the Copa America, and that is that Argentina is in fashion. Something that we see very clearly is that the quantity and diversity of Argentine gastronomic offerings does not stop growing. There are bakeries and confectioneries, and new ones are constantly opening; grills, top-level restaurants, places that fuse with Italian cuisine and offer our pastas, people making beer. These are ventures that I am getting to know and with which we are convinced that the synergy is what will strengthen the country’s brand.

Q: How is this synergy generated?

MG: To begin with, we resumed a practice that was interrupted in previous years by the health crisis and the climate issues that affected Miami, I am referring to the breakfasts of networkingBut we gave them a different touch because we are organizing them by sector. Obviously, while gastronomy is booming, Argentina is making strong strides in various areas, for example, real estate development, so we are creating these spaces but with actors who are linked by common interests.

The imprint we want to give to management is marked by a time of great closeness between Argentina and the United States, and especially with the State of Florida, starting with the President’s visit to Miami, and in that sense we also try to help those who come to invest here, which are also increasing!

Q: Is there any explanation for that?

MG:Well, Miami clearly changed its demographics after the pandemic, and although we were never the majority among the nationalities that inhabit this part of the United States, Argentines are gaining prominence due to the immigration that is coming to undertake it.

And here again, gastronomy is the protagonist because we made a map of all the current offerings and it is really impressive. At the same time, it is a sector that boosts the economy both in South Florida and between countries, so we seek to connect entrepreneurs and businessmen, so that some become clients and/or suppliers of the others, because the activity allows it.

This is how the idea of ​​holding the Argentine gastronomy week in Miami also arose, something similar to what was once called Miami Spice This was a period in which all restaurants offered a menu accessible to the general public, in order to generate greater dissemination of their proposal.

We, along with some representatives of the sector, thought something similar to what we are shaping. Because, in fact, today not only our empanadas are chosen by the entire Latin American community. Argentine meats have always been recognized, and so has Malbec, so there is much to strengthen the country’s brand in terms of gastronomy.

Q: There is something of the Messi effect in all this, isn’t there?

MG: Well, without a doubt, having him here is incredible.

Now, it is also true that until a few years ago in Miami there was no variety of gastronomic offerings that offered quality and good price. That is to say, typically, if one wanted to eat at reasonable prices, one went to a Fast Food or similar, and if not, you could go to a high-end restaurant.

The Argentine proposal is unique because it covers all the nuances that exist between those very expensive restaurants and poor quality food. This is something new for the population here, because they find that there are new flavors, a more extensive menu, and that, without spending so much, you can eat well.

Well, the best example is the empanada, which is becoming established as a typical dish of Miami. Something curious happens here: the empanada is prepared in many Latin American countries, so in principle Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia, etc. are represented, but ours are really different because of the filling, the dough and the cooking. And more and more people choose them.

Something similar happens with alfajor, choripán, medialunas and milanesa. All the nationalities that circulate through Miami are discovering that Argentine cuisine redefines much of what is European.

Now, returning to Messi, what does have the Argentine stamp is the depth of football in the United States…

Q: Do you really see an opportunity for our country there?

MG: No doubt about it! The next World Cup will be played here, and we are witnessing the rise of football.

There are new schools in all the towns in the County, and almost always the coaches are Argentine. Moreover, River has one of its affiliates here, but there is no doubt that the United States needs to train soccer players and will look to the link with Argentina as a way to do so. The best example of this is Benja Cremaschi –Editor’s note: This refers to the Inter Miami striker, who was born in this city but whose family is Argentine, and was recently called up by the United States national team for the Copa América and the Olympic Games.

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The Argentine Consulate in Miami has a double or triple role, because while it supports private initiatives and builds investment bridges that benefit the country in a geography that brings together the second largest community of emigrants, after Spain, it also takes care of promoting Argentine culture and art, all without neglecting the bureaucratic and diplomatic part of its activity.

In this regard, the recent cancellation and rescheduling of two American Airlines flights to Buenos Aires has caused turmoil in consular management.

“We were always there to assist Argentines who were temporarily stranded here and had all kinds of needs. For example, people who had checked their bags but needed medication. In these cases, we processed special permits with the airline and were in contact with the mayor of Miami-Dade County, which has jurisdiction over the airport,” Gilardoni explains.

Hecker, for his part, emphasizes his gratitude to companies that understand the situation the country is going through, and that, therefore, collaborate with the Consulate in the activities it promotes, and which it can carry out thanks to solidarity. The list includes those who lend audio and video equipment for events, art galleries that bring together the community, restaurants and catering companies, and many more.

For now, the gastronomy market is the one that combines opportunity and lower initial investment values ​​than sectors such as construction.

With growing Argentine immigration, this is the sector that is paving the way, not only in terms of public-private management, but also sowing the seed of unity with the flag as the axis, something that has not been achieved so far.