Argentine Chef Patricia Courtois: A Leader in Identity-based and Sustainable Gastronomy
By Kathleen Pokrud
Patricia Courtois is an Argentine chef recognized as a leader in identity-based and sustainable gastronomy, whose method is based on immersion in the territory: learning from local producers and traditional women cooks, reviving ancestral recipes, empowering women in the kitchen and promoting environmentally responsible practices. During her recent visit to Bangkok for a food demonstration with the Embassy of Argentina, Elite+ caught up with the renowned chef to discover Argentina’s deeper gastronomic heritage.
Chef Courtois has more than thirty years’ experience, including supervising diplomatic banquets and official receptions from 2004 to 2015, gastronomic consultancy in Argentina and other countries. In 2023, Patricia Courtois was designated as Country Brand Ambassador for her contribution to federal cuisine and the promotion of Argentine traditions and in 2024, she received a mention in the Michelin Guide for her role as Executive Chef at Cinco Suelos Cocina de Finca. She is also the author of the book, Viaje al Sabor (Planeta Publishing, 2019).
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She shared her thoughts on the true essence of Argentine cuisine, and how has it has evolved over the years. “Argentine cuisine is essentially a cuisine of eco-regions, given the diversity of our territory. It has also received a notable influence from the successive waves of immigrants that we have received. I believe the evolution of our cuisine today is driven by a greater respect for local and seasonal products and economies.”
Beyond the iconic asado, Chef Courtois recommended other lesser-known Argentine dishes that international visitors should discover in her country. “The Andean region, in western Argentina, along the Andes mountain chain, offers fascinating ancestral recipes based on potatoes and maize. In addition, our majestic coastline to the Atlantic Ocean is home to countless marine species of great nutritional value.”
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More recently, as a gastronomic consultant, she has focused on the development of culinary proposals for some of Argentina's top wineries. “In my current professional role as advisor to four wineries in Argentina, I can confidently say that my cooking is at the service of wine. The key is to make the wine and food experience the reason why many tourists want to visit Argentina, especially considering that now there more than 12 winemaking provinces that receive wine-loving tourists.”
As one of Argentina’s most respected chefs, Chef Courtois admitted that there are opportunities and challenges for women in the culinary world today. She highlighted, “I believe that today, Argentine women chefs have managed, through hard work and great perseverance, to position themselves in the sphere of haute cuisine.”
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With Argentine asado holding such cultural significance, Chef Courtois candidly shared her philosophy on food sustainability and innovation amid the growing popularity of plant-based cuisine. “The asado is a tradition and while there is a vegan community in Argentina, our meat remains a defining element of our identity. Nowadays, with many projects focused on regenerative livestock farming and a strong commitment to environmental protection, this is even more true.”
To conclude, Chef Courtois reflected, “Personally, my mission is always to ‘rescue’ and promote the regional cuisines of Argentina's provinces, seeking to preserve this valuable cultural heritage, which undoubtedly comes from the hands of women who continue to replicate these traditions. I believe that today innovation means returning to our origins.”
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