At more than 44 million square kilometres (17 million square miles) – almost twice the size of China – and with a population of more than 400 million, South America has a culinary landscape as diverse as its remarkable geography and cultures. Diners in Hong Kong can choose from an array of South American cuisines, but three chefs based in the city – an Argentinian, a Peruvian and a Venezuelan – stand out for the way in which they celebrate native cuisines while adding their own touches. Ando is headed by 32-year-old Argentinian chef Agustin Ferrando Balbi , who previously ran the kitchen at the well-regarded Haku in Harbour City, Tsi Sha Tsui. Many chefs talk about their “journey”, but few have come as far as Balbi. He started off in Ramos Mejia in Buenos Aires before moving to New York, Tokyo and, since 2015, Hong Kong. He explains that when it comes to food, Argentina is often misunderstood. “I think there’s maybe a misconception that Argentina is all about grilled meat, when we are so much more than that. It is a very big country, and the cuisine varies dramatically. It is a melting pot of cultures with a lot of immigrants from Spain and Italy, and you can see those influences in our food,” he says. The sleek, contemporary design at Ando features a palette of soft charcoal and greys, striking artwork and ceramics, comfortable and elegant leather chairs, and a large, open kitchen. The hidden history of xiaolongbao, Shanghai’s famous soup dumplings There’s a choice of two dinner tasting menus, Presentacion at HK$1,288 (US$165), and Experiencia at HK$1,688, both of which feature the finest produce from Japan, Spain and Italy, and reflect Balbi’s global exposure and Argentinian roots. He explains that two dishes in particular represent his homeland. “The most iconic dish is sin Lola [‘without Lola’], something I grew up eating: caldoso rice cooked in three stocks – clam, abalone, and chicken and chorizo – over low heat for eight hours. Then the risas del jardin [garden’s laugh] is Kumamoto wagyu grilled over charcoal.” The caldoso rice dish is a wonderful mix of deep, rich stock flavours with waves of umami. The risas del jardin is beautifully presented and multilayered, with A5 Kumamoto wagyu beef as the star. It is lightly brushed with ponzu and beef jus after being grilled, then served on a mix of corn and bacon, with a mahogany-coloured sauce made from roasted piquillo peppers and beef bones. Peru is represented by fine restaurants such as Ichu and TokyoLima but another spot, Chullschick, better reflects the variety of family-style Peruvian cuisine that I experienced on a trip to the country at the start of the year. Abel Ortiz Alvarez, originally from Lima, is the chef of the modest and compact 24-seat spot on Graham Street, in SoHo. He worked for some of Lima’s best restaurants and chefs, including Central under star chef Virgilio Martinez , before moving to Hong Kong to head up Chicha. Everything on Chullschick’s large menu is made from scratch, from tamales, to tartares and empanadas, to breads that are baked in a 1000kg oven imported from Peru. The place is packed on a Tuesday lunchtime with a line out the door. Customers are served in the colourful dining room, which features murals of Peruvian street scenes. The pollo a la brasa (roast chicken, HK$229 for a whole bird) is Chullschick’s most reputed dish. It’s first been marinated for 48 hours in beer and spices before hitting the rotisserie, which gives it beautiful smoky notes. Alvarez says: “If there’s one dish on the menu which represents me and Peru, it’s ceviche . We really do the Peruvian ceviche, so we buy the limes and squeeze them fresh. Quality is always the most important thing for me. “Peru has thousands of types of ceviche, different ceviches in different places. The one I like to make here comes from my own city. We have one customer, she’s from Hong Kong, she comes alone and orders two ceviches.” At Mono , the kitchen is headed by Venezuelan Ricardo Chaneton , who worked at Quique Dacosta in Denia, Spain, and was head chef at three Michelin-star Mirazur on the French-Italian border, which in 2019 was voted the World’s Best Restaurant. In Hong Kong, Chaneton worked at Petrus at the Island Shangri-La until he left in December to open Mono. The restaurant is the perfect platform for his refined South American cuisine. Chaneton’s eyes light up as he talks about Venezuela. “It’s a beautiful country. My heritage is Venezuelan, Colombian, Italian and Argentinian, which is a very good example of how open and friendly my country is – and it means a lot to me to be representing it in Hong Kong. “The first country Europeans ever touched in South America was Venezuela, it’s where the new wave of South American cuisine started, and I’m very proud of that.” The dinner tasting menu at Mono (HK$1,280 for eight courses) is a triumph of technique, innovation and ingredients that reflect the devotion to excellence of Chaneton and his multinational team. You can sense the pride as the chefs explain every dish, always with a story. The golden olive oil Mono uses, for example, comes from a woman in Spain who produce only 900 litres a year, and is highlighted in the restaurant’s house-made quinoa sourdough. Arepas are normally a humble Venezuelan street food, but at Mono they’re elevated to a high end dish: Chaneton cooks them in a special cast iron pan and fills them with confit carabinero prawn and avocado. “[Arepas] is a dish we love in Caracas. They’re Venezuela’s national ‘bread’, everyone grows up with them. They are usually cooked till burnt, giving an intense smoky flavour.” Another stellar dish is quail with jicama, a South American root vegetable, and a vibrant chimichurri sauce. Chaneton explains: “It’s an encounter between Spain and South America. The quail is filled with a typical Venezuelan stuffing called hallaca, which combines ingredients left by the first Spanish [who landed in Venezuela] and indigenous foods.” It’s the perfect dish to represent Chaneton’s country – and indeed the 12-nation continent. Ando , 1/F Somptueux Central, 52 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 2380 9007, andohk.com Chullschick , 45–53A Graham Street, SoHo, tel: 2668 3948 Mono , 5/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, mono.hk