China
Speaker
Agustín Ferrando Balbí
Chef at Ando* (Hong Kong, China)
Born in Ramos Mejía (Argentina) to a family of Spanish and Italian immigrants, Agustín Ferrando Balbi's love of cooking began at his grandmother's table, but it was a summer spent working in a family friend's restaurant that made him decide to become a professional chef. He enrolled at The BUE Trainers before training in some of the most prestigious restaurants in Buenos Aires and New Orleans.
He also travelled to Japan where he honed his culinary skills in Tokyo kitchens (Zurriola**,Nihonryori Ryugin*** and Cuisine[s] Michel Troisgros**) and was named one of Japan's top 10 young chefs (under 30) in 2015.
Moving to Hong Kong in 2016, Balbi headed the kitchen at contemporary Japanese restaurant HAKU, under the direction of Hideaki Matsuo. He eventually opened his own business, Ando, a restaurant with roots in Spanish cuisine fused with the techniques and products of Japanese gastronomic culture, which earned a Michelin star just six months after opening in July 2020.
