Together on par

Simple and relaxed. A lover of the simple things in life. With that 220-degree engine that brings a spark of mischief to his eyes. That's how we met Ariel Duran, a natural fighter, humble by heritage, who, in addition to being a musician from the womb, is a chef by vocation. He practices this profession with his father when, less than a year ago, they rekindled the fires of "LATERNERA CASA DE COMIDAS AL PASO."

The day begins. It's eight in the morning. And a little sleepy after going out to rock, giving the famous band from Ushuaia a great performance. "Voice-over"We hear the first musical notes from the kitchen. An electric kettle is turned on to start the first mates. A boiling pot. The squeal of a food processor chopping vegetables, pans, fryers, and pots  begin  get into the swing of things, warming up to start a new day.

How did you get into the kitchen?

By the hand of my old man (Mario Duran)Since I was a child, he taught me everything I know. My first tastes, how to taste everything he prepared, the aromas. He was always my guide.

Is it very difficult to work with the family?

At first, yes, and even more so when you start very young. But it's one of the most wonderful things that can happen to you. There we learned to understand each other better, to be buddy friends, to cover up for each other's mistakes. But  both very demanding. But always together.

As I would say Pappo; “Together side by side”…

Yes, exactly. My old man is a very hard-working person, and he always instilled that in us. Values, respect, and hard work. A lot of hard work. The only thing my old man ever did was work.

Do you start early?

At 8:00 a.m. We prepare the shopping list, payments to suppliers, and menus. I take a break for a while at noon, then rehearse with the kids or start writing, and around 8:00 p.m., I return to the kitchen until closing time.

They complement each other well.
Do you have a good team?

Yes. There are three of us who are members of the family and two more boys who are already part of it too.

In a field where there is a lot of staff turnover, I always see the same guys.

What's your secret?

I don't know if I should call it a secret. I think the basis lies in sincerity and respect.  My old man is very friendly and he passed that on to us.  If you know your role and where you're supposed to be, you can't go wrong. The guys have been there from the start and are always there, supporting me when I have to go out and play. I value that a lot.

You live your life one hundred percent, both with food and music. You're always attentive to everything, in a great mood, and you also front a band, which attracts a lot of people these days, where you also give your all. That speaks to great professionalism.
How do you keep your feet on the ground?

I love cooking. I love my family, which is the cornerstone of all my projects. I also love music, the band, where we stopped being friends and became my second big family. These things don't allow me to stray from my core; I owe them my respect and professionalism.

We live in a city with a very broad and competitive food market. How do you deal with that?

Competition helps us improve day by day. We're on a corner where there are many food businesses, but each one has its own unique character. We all work.

Now they've incorporated homemade pastas and are revaluing the spit-roasted chicken, something so typical.

Yes, we have several pasta dishes, including salmon sorrentinos with a shrimp sauce that are very popular. Chicken is something very much ours and was being left aside, but we mustn't forget it; it's our roots.

And now what are you preparing?

The house specialty is a pizza with a mozzarella base, julienned vegetables, diced chicken, fresh basil, a touch of  of garlic oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

You lived in Misiones for a few years, there you had your own band, you studied gastronomy,  What prompted you to return to Ushuaia?

I was born here, my family lives here, I'm the middle of three brothers. One of them plays with me in the band. I grew up between the mountains and the sea, a place where you can compose in a unique way.  Inexplicable. A land of stories and legends, I don't know how to explain it. I'm from Tierra del Fuego, and it runs in my blood; there's no way to explain why. We live here. We just flow.

What is the city missing?

Institutes to train us, some real food fairs, more focused on chefs, where we can buy books, talk to other chefs, and clear up any doubts or concerns. Like when we go on tour,  The best thing we bring is what we nurture with colleagues and seeing that we all have setbacks,  that we are made of flesh and blood.    

How do you see the gastronomy in Ushuaia?

It's grown incredibly in recent years. We have a much greater variety for different types of diners. We're on our way to becoming a highly regarded city in terms of gastronomy. We have excellent resources for that, from king crab to black hake, and not to mention our Patagonian lamb.

Thank you very much Ari Duran.
May the fires never go out!

See the full article in the Free! USH Mag II Online Magazine