Chef's Grill Wins the Anticucho Battle

La Parrilla del Chef took first place in “La Batalla del Anticucho”, a contest organized by the Municipality of Providencia to celebrate the National Holidays and recognize the best preparations of this classic of Chilean cuisine.

The winning restaurant prevailed in a very close final against Damajuana, which took second place, in a competition that brought together various restaurants in the district. The final took place this Monday at the traditional Donde Zacarías restaurant, located in Terrazas San Cristóbal.

The judges evaluated the flavor, seasoning, quality and cooking of the ingredients, technique, and presentation. The decision was particularly close, ending with a difference of just 0.12 points between the two entries.

A half-kilo anticucho took first place

The Chef's Grill won with its "Half a kilo Anticucho", a preparation that opts for a traditional and hearty version of this classic Chilean Independence Day dish.

The proposal combines premium sirloin and boneless breast with onion and paprika, ingredients that are grilled to achieve the characteristic smoky flavor of the preparation.

“We are very grateful for this opportunity and for the boost given to the gastronomic sector through these initiatives,” said Martín Flores, representative of La Parrilla del Chef.

The mayor of Providencia, Jaime Bellolio, highlighted how close the competition was and explained that the winning restaurant obtained first place by a very small margin.

“It was a very close competition: we evaluated various factors and finally, by just 0.12 points, La Parrilla del Chef prevailed with a traditional half-kilo anticucho,” the mayor noted.

Bellolio added that the dish stood out for its flavor and size, and praised the participation of both restaurants in the final.

Damajuana surprised everyone with six types of meat

Second place went to Damajuana with their “Juanticucho”, a signature dish that brought to the grill an unusual combination of meats.

The dish brought together beef, pork, chicken, wild boar, venison, and rabbit on a single skewer, incorporating different proteins and flavors into a traditional National Holidays preparation.

“Although we didn’t achieve first place this time, we leave very satisfied with the experience and with building community,” highlighted Daniel Céspedes, representative of Damajuana.

The representative added that this type of initiative allows for collaboration between gastronomic stakeholders and contributes to the promotion of Chilean cuisine.

The secrets to preparing a good anticucho

During the final, the jury members also shared their recommendations for making a good anticucho.

Chef, journalist, and content creator Dalal Halabi highlighted the importance of combining different ingredients and maintaining a balance of flavors.

“I like that the anticucho is varied and hopefully combines different types of meat to achieve a balanced flavor,” he commented.

He also recommended adding onion and paprika, as they provide moisture during cooking, and being careful with the use of seasonings so as not to overpower the natural flavor of the meats.

For his part, restaurateur Zacarías Alarcón focused on technique. In his opinion, a good dish depends on having a good grill and the skill of the grill master.

In addition, she highlighted the importance of achieving a balanced combination of protein and vegetables.

A competition that celebrated the cuisine of the 18th of September.

“The Battle of the Anticucho” brought together restaurants, bars, grills and eateries from Providencia, which presented different versions of this traditional dish.

The proposals ranged from traditional recipes and signature dishes to vegetarian and vegan alternatives, showcasing the different ways in which gastronomic establishments reinterpret one of the most representative dishes of September.

The final took place at Donde Zacarías and featured a jury composed of the mayor of Providencia, Jaime Bellolio; the gastronomic entrepreneur Zacarías Alarcón; and Dalal Halabi.

Providencia prepares its Independence Day celebrations

After the competition, Mayor Jaime Bellolio invited residents and visitors to participate in the activities that the municipality has prepared for these National Holidays.

“We have different activities that we have done at the level of our neighborhoods, as well as we are going to have our Lady Inés Fonda, in its second edition,” he said.

The celebration will take place from September 17th and will extend through September 18th, 19th and 20th, as part of Providencia's "dieciochera" program.