Closed Door Restaurant Ocho Once - Interview with owner & chef, Gonzalo Bazterrica
Gonzalo Bazterrica opens the door of his home at El Salvador. He has a husky voice, is attractive and welcoming but he doesn’t overdo his act. What you see is what you get is what you feel, basically, when meeting him. The entrance of the old Palermo mansion has a high ceiling, stained glass windows and black and white tiles. The antique cabinet overflowing with pots of organic honey, chutneys, olive oil and wine looks promising.
Gonzalo sums things up for us in a simple equation: His house at El Salvador (1+7) + (5+6)=811, and becomes closed door restaurant Ocho Once at night time.
The five step menu served in the living room with the original pinotea-wooden floor, the mirrors and the soft lighting, or outside on the patio with the pots full of flowers, is exclusively prepared with organic products.
From when he was a young kid Gonzalo would climb on a chair and look over his mom’s shoulder if she was at work in the kitchen. He enjoyed helping her cook the tasty food for all the uncles, aunts, brothers, cousins, at the numerous family events she organized.
After a stint of studying industrial engineering, and a last disastrous algebra exam, Gonzalo decided to follow his own nose. He studied for two years at the Gato Dumas Institute, working at well-known BA restaurant Dominga for several years.
He then travelled to France, and got a job at three star restaurant Bernard Loiseau in the Bourgogne, fine tuning and expanding the colors on his palate. Though feeling lucky with the valuable learning experience, for Gonzalo’s taste some ingredient still went missing. He wanted to work independently, focusing more on the importance of good nutrition, balance the menu, eat better basically. So back in Buenos Aires, he opened the doors of his home and Ocho Once Restaurant.
Every Sunday when the restaurant is closed you will find him in his kitchen, experimenting with new ingredients, inventing recipes for the menu that changes every week. Those Sunday bursts of creativity have given him some great ideas.
Gonzalo describes himself as strong-willed and stubborn but always willing to listen to his friends' and colleague’s critique. Xpat Life likes Gonzalo Bazterrica’s robust, organic personality, and the overall authentic quality of Closed Door Restaurant Ocho Once. That’s why we are glad to include him on our team of XPP’s (Xpatlife Preferred Partner) preparing unforgettable closed door events. For you.
