Could you describe the Buenos Aires hotel scene?
Jérôme Mathe - The hotels are often points of reference in each district. They are as popular with the international clientele as they are with Porteños, who usually come for events such as product launches or awards ceremonies. The hotels are also popular for tea time and Sunday brunch. Tea at the Alvear Palace is one of the most popular, while brunch at the Palacio Duhau is also very popular.
Do you like going out in hotels?
J. M. - I've lived here for twelve years, and I have to say that going out to the hotels is always a moment of escape. I enjoy the contact with a foreign clientele that appreciates good taste. For me, the best place to have a drink or dine on the terrace is the Palacio Duhau. I also enjoy having an aperitif in the library of the Sofitel hotel, in the very French Calle Arroyo, and, later in the evening, a nightcap by the pool at the Faena.
In your opinion, are hotel restaurants representative of new trends and culinary creativity?
J. M. - The real trend at the moment is Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine. For the last two or three years, restaurants of this type have been popping up all over the city, and not necessarily in hotels. The chef at Chez Nous, the Algodon Mansion restaurant, is also Peruvian, although he serves Franco-Argentine cuisine.
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- "Here, we go to hotels for tea or Sunday brunch": Jérôme Mathe, Café des Arts restaurant in the Malba museum.
