Latin America Unida

Latin American cuisine is just beginning to gain traction in Melbourne, and with it our appreciation that the continent produces more than steaks, red wines and empanadas. Well, learning can be a wonderful thing, especially when facilitated with food. This Wednesday give yourself an education at San Telmo.

Chef Alejandro Saravia of Sydney’s Morena restaurant and chef Mike Patrick of San Telmo are teaming up for one night only to celebrate Peruvian grub and Argentinian wines in the convivially-named Latin America Unida.

Saravia, originally from Peru, has worked in restaurants across South American and Europe (including The Fat Duck) before opening Morena three years ago, where he holds regular cooking classes and even takes tours back to Peru. He’s bringing all that experience (and plenty of ingredients) to Melbourne to create a eight-course meat fest.

Dishes include diced beef heart marinated in an anticuchos sauce served with Peruvian yellow potatoes and aji amarillo salsa; alapca short ribs with carrot and cumin purée and a Valrohna chocolate tart with spiced black pudding. Atkins would be proud. Festivities kick off with a pisco sour and each dish is matched with Argentinian wines.

But there’s more! It’s all for a good cause – raising money for TECHO (an award winning not-for-profit organisation who work to build houses for the homeless in Latin America). San Telmo will be matching all donations made on the night as well as five per cent of all ticket sales.

Latin America Unida is happening at San Telmo, 14 Meyers Place, on Wed 7 August.
6:30pm arrival for 7pm start, $150pp. Bookings essential via santelmo.com.au.