Katriel Menéndez's Experience: From Traveler to Ambassador of Argentine Culture and Gastronomy in the World
Katriel Menéndez's Experience: From Traveler to Ambassador of Argentine Culture and Gastronomy in the World
We invite you to read this interview in which Katriel tells us how was his experience migrating from his native Argentina and his reception in a foreign country but that today is his home: the United States.
Why did you decide to leave Argentina?
I decided to leave Argentina because I knew it was time to look for new opportunities and grow professionally. I felt that I had reached a ceiling in my gastronomic career in Mendoza, Argentina and I longed to explore beyond my known limits. As a young boy I also dreamed of leaving; I wanted to study and train in France, immerse myself in its rich culinary tradition and become an even more complete chef. So it was not a sudden or foreign idea for me to migrate.
And how did you come to the United States?
The main idea was to travel through Central and South America with my friend Felipe, looking for work as cooks and backpackers. But this could not be achieved due to life's circumstances. However, fate gave me an unexpected opportunity: to come to the United States where my brother lived and study English. Even without knowing that this would open the doors to new possibilities all over the world.
Was it easy to adapt to a new culture?
Not really. When I arrived here, my desire to stay connected to Argentina led me to spend a lot of time on Facebook or on my cell phone looking for news or things that made me feel close to my country. This was because I felt out of touch with reality. No one understood me and I understood no one. Suddenly, I felt like a five-year-old, struggling to communicate and struggling to understand the most basic words in English. Headaches and tensions in my face were constant, as every muscle in my mouth and tongue worked hard to pronounce every word of the new language I had to communicate with. It was a sudden change, an abrupt awakening to a new reality.
My stay at my brother's house, where everything was spoken in English, was a real immersion both in the culture and the language. In only four months, I managed to master English and acquire the necessary confidence to continue my trip with ease. And so, I kept traveling, exploring and discovering new places, but at every step, I found myself becoming even more Argentine than I was in Argentina.
It is interesting what you say, why did you become "more Argentine" than you were living in Argentina?
There is a very nice phrase by Aristotle that says that "love is the experience of absence". This is what happened to me, I experienced a deep love for my country when I was far away. I began to appreciate the beautiful things about it in a way I had never imagined. The reality is that Argentina is a country that suffers a lot and as it has beautiful things, it has difficult things to deal with on a daily basis. Logically I moved away from those things and every visit to my country became an experience of internal tourism, where I could see and appreciate things that I could not before.
And today do you feel more Argentine or more American?
As an expatriate, I experienced a sense of not fully belonging either here or there. I feel neither completely Argentine nor completely American. I consider myself a citizen of the world, born in Argentina but living in a world that is becoming more and more interconnected and where I am warmly welcomed on every trip I take. You could say that I always manage to feel at home, because part of what makes me feel that way is to keep me traveling and discovering new things.
And if we think about the future, what is the legacy you want to leave?
People often ask me what is the legacy I want to leave. My answer is simple: I want to be an ambassador of Argentine culture and gastronomy. I want to be a teacher who teaches those who care about this beautiful culture, while opening bridges of connection and understanding to Argentina for the rest of the world. Being far away from my homeland, as I said before, made me value and love it much more. We have so much to show and share: our indigenous roots, the music, the dance, the way we celebrate the grape harvest, the charisma of each Argentinean and so much more that I would say now but I would not finish. I have gone back to study and deepen in all these areas to be able to give answers and share our legacy with the world through my current projects.
Do you have more dreams than you have fulfilled so far? What are they?
My dream is to build a kind of empire of Argentine culture in the United States. I want people to see me as the chef and entrepreneur who led this movement when no one else was doing it. Just as other cultures have become known in places around the world, I would like to achieve that level of recognition and respect, representing my country with pride and taking our culture and gastronomy to every corner of the world.
My dream is to never stop dreaming. That's what I am and always have been, that desire beats inside me, it keeps me alive and awake. I consider time in this life as an opportunity to play. And I have plenty of time to continue playing and leaving my mark in the world of gastronomy and culture.
In closing I want to quote a passage from Nelson Mandela that sums up what I want to convey:
"It is our light, not the darkness that frightens us most.
We ask ourselves: who am I to be bright, beautiful, talented and fabulous?
In fact, who are you not to be?
You are a child of the universe.
Playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightening about shrinking yourself so that others near you don't feel insecure.
We are born to make manifest the glory of the universe that is within us.
Not just some of us: It is within each and every one of us.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
And as we free ourselves from our fear, our presence automatically frees others."
We thank you Katriel for taking the time to give us this interview. It is very inspiring what you shared with us, which is nothing more than a reflection of your work. And as Mandela said, let us shine our own light! If you enjoyed this interview, please share it with your friends and family.
