A Fuego Fuerte is an exclusive restaurant in Buenos Aires, led by Chef Julio Lunghi, offering a unique dining experience inspired by Argentine cuisine with international influences. Born from Lunghi’s passion for gastronomy, the restaurant started as a small project in his home with only six seats and has grown over the years in various locations. A Fuego Fuerte focuses on a tasting menu that can include up to 20 courses, where each dish is a carefully designed work of art, highlighting the authenticity of local ingredients without altering their essence. With French-style service and an emphasis on innovative presentation, Fuego Fuerte invites diners to explore Argentina through its flavors in an unforgettable culinary experience.
Fine Dining Table: Today we are with Julio, from the A Fuego Fuerte restaurant in Buenos Aires. Hi, Julio, how are you?
Chef Julio Lunghi: Fine, good morning. How are you?
Fine Dining Table: All good, thanks. To start, tell us a little about yourself, your beginnings, and how the idea of opening A Fuego Fuerte came about.
Chef Julio Lunghi: Well, my story has a somewhat peculiar start. I have a degree in marketing and worked in that field until I was almost 50. I worked for a French advertising agency, and during one of my trips to France, I had some free time, which I decided to use by studying cooking at an institute offering modules for foreigners. I’ve always had an interest in gastronomy since I was a child, and this course allowed me to study with Ducas for five years. That’s how I started. After that, my friends pushed me to open my own restaurant. Thirteen years ago, I opened Fuego Fuerte in my home, starting with just six seats and a shared table. Over the years, we’ve had several locations, and the restaurant has grown a lot.
Fine Dining Table: How interesting! Throughout your career, which chefs have influenced you, and how have they impacted your cooking?
Chef Julio Lunghi: One of the chefs I’ve always admired is Gato Dumas. For me, he was a reference within Argentine gastronomy. I’ve also been influenced by the Adrià brothers, whose creative approach has always intrigued me. But honestly, the people who influenced me the most were my parents and my grandmother. They unknowingly taught me a love for cooking. I believe they planted the seed that led me to where I am today.
Fine Dining Table: If you were a customer at your own restaurant, what would be your favorite dish? Chef Julio Lunghi: At Fuego Fuerte, we don’t have favorite dishes. We work with a tasting menu that ranges from 7 to 20 courses. Each dish goes through a complex and unique process. All the courses are carefully designed, from the creation of the tableware to the presentation of each bite. It’s a detailed job, and we couldn’t say there’s a favorite because each dish has its own value.
Fine Dining Table: I see, but is there any dish that has surprised you, something that made you say, “Wow, how did I achieve this?”
Chef Julio Lunghi: One of the dishes that surprised me the most was a deconstructed risotto that we made for quite some time. Being of Italian descent, risotto and pasta have always been a part of my family. One day, I made a risotto that turned out particularly well, and I decided to incorporate it into the menu, but I wanted to do something different. We served it deconstructed, with the rice and cooking broth separately, and paired it with sliced mushrooms and a mushroom cream. It was a very complex dish with a long cooking process, but the result was spectacular. We had it on the menu for almost two years, and it became an iconic dish for us.
Fine Dining Table: Argentine gastronomy has grown a lot in recent years and has earned a place on the global stage. What do you think of this growth?
Chef Julio Lunghi: As part of the industry, I’m very happy to see the recognition Argentine gastronomy has achieved. We have very noble products, and I think, as chefs, we have enormous respect for those ingredients. My cooking has evolved a lot, but I always maintain respect for the essence of the ingredients. I don’t like altering their natural flavor. For example, if we use a potato, we make sure it still tastes like a potato, even if we modify its presentation. That authenticity in the ingredients is something that matters a lot to me, and I think it’s part of the success of Argentine cuisine.
Fine Dining Table: Finally, in one sentence, what can diners expect when they visit Fuego Fuerte? What makes you different?
Chef Julio Lunghi: I think what sets us apart is our service, inspired by the French style, which is very rare to find outside of the large hotels in Argentina. Also, we invite diners to explore Argentina through its flavors, with a proposal that is unique in Buenos Aires.
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