Reasons to visit Argentina, according to Locos por el Asado

Luciano “Laucha” Luchetti, from Locos por el Asado, is heading up the first take-over of the Visit Argentina YouTube channel for a month as of October 5th. He prepared his first asado when he was 14 years old, and since then, he has never stopped. He knows all about charcoal fire, grills, and national flavours, and his 2 million YouTube subscribers prove it. Do you want to meet him? Read this interview and write down his recommendations for visiting the entire Argentina.

Locosxelasado. That’s the name of one of the most successful YouTube channels in Argentinian land. This name couldn’t be more accurate since its simplicity encapsulates all the emotions the coal heat arouses. Nothing can be compared to a Sunday full of grilled flavours. Laucha knew it perfectly well when he created his YouTube channel 10 years ago. Yet, he didn’t know that what started as a fun thing among friends would become a grilling empire. They started off creating content true to its essence with pieces of advice, tips, and challenges. Today, they have reached a global audience with 2 million YouTube subscribers, 3 million on Facebook, and 2.3 million on Instagram.

Those are the reasons why we chose Laucha, the face of Locosxelasado, to take over our YouTube channel. Not only will he pass on tips and pieces of advice based on his love for the parrilla, but also, he’ll tell us about the true Argentinian culture. The culture that knows about friends’ gatherings any day of the week; the culture that enjoys food, but above all, the meeting; the culture that applauds with the first bite of asado; the culture that is truly crazy about asado. As of October 5th, you’ll be able to enjoy a new episode every Tuesday. Are you ready? To get warmed up, read this interview with Luciano covering its passion for asado around the country.

- Three reasons to come to Argentina now that the borders are open:

- Firstly, the wide variety of landscapes. From north to south, there are from desert to mountains. We have glaciers, salt flats, everything! If you come to Argentina, you’ll get to visit all kinds of sceneries. You can travel from side to side, and you’ll see how the landscape changes. Everything is beautiful.

Secondly, gastronomy. In my opinion, one of the best in the world. Wherever you go, food is great.

I don’t know many countries in which this is common. In Buenos Aires, there are amazing restaurants —all of them. If you keep travelling, to the north, south or centre of the country, you’ll find stunning destinations with awesome gastronomic options.

Thirdly, people’s warmth, the way you’ll be welcomed here. I think that Argentines’ joy, the way we are, and our welcoming nature give added value.

- What would you recommend to someone who comes to Argentina for the first time and wants to try our national meat?

- Surely, people land in Buenos Aires. So, making a tour for the parrillas in San Telmo and Palermo is completely worth it. There are great restaurants in those neighbourhoods. Classic restaurants of great renown. You must go there. Then, if you go away a little bit, to Greater Buenos Aires, there are also good alternatives.

But, once you’ve tried the parrillas in Buenos Aires, the best option is to travel to, for example, Patagonia. There are excellent choices there. What’s more, there are several festivals in summer, like the Lamb Festival. In Entre Ríos, there’s the national party Asado and Leather. There are also unique places like Mendoza, which offers great asado paired with the best wines: the perfect pairing. In the north, the province of Salta has great vineyards and top-notch gastronomy.

Truth be told, there are many places to visit, and it’s hard to pick up one. If I had to set a journey, I’d go to Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Patagonia, and the north.

- Which are your must-see destinations in Argentina?

- There are loads of them: the Iguazú Falls, the Perito Moreno Glacier, Buenos Aires, Mendoza. If I had to choose one that best represents the beauty of the country, I’d say Patagonia. Mind you, this is my opinion. The south of Argentina is amazing. You can make a tour around all the national parks, as well as visit San Martín de Los Andes, Villa La Angostura, Bariloche, Esquel, Trevelin, El Bolsón, and much more. There is an endless number of places. That’s why you must go to the south if this is the first time you have come to Argentina.

- What’s the best experience to go through the ritual of asado in Argentina?

- Even if you go to a restaurant to taste or visit the amazing parrillas, where they cook really well, I think the best way to try a national asado is to go to an Argentine’s house and make them prepare it for you. The ritual of asado does not lie only in the food but also in the meeting itself, the friends, and the talks. That’s an added value.

- If you don’t eat meat, can you still enjoy the country of asado?

- Of course you can. If you don’t eat meat, there’s a superb gastronomic variety. Due to the Italian migration, pasta is amazing here. There’s this famous Buenos Aires pizza and the exquisite Naples-style pizza. There’s also Spanish cuisine. The number of alternatives is enormous. You must try it.