The artisans of the Magallanes region have always played a fundamental role in the identity of Hotel Las Torres. With the arrival of the new season, chef Joaquín Pitta decided to give a more identity touch to one of the most traditional practices in the service of the Coirón restaurant: the lamb roast al palo.

Pitta, in conversations with Víctor Riquelme, blacksmith of Taller Sólido in Puerto Natales, suggested the need to bring the Gauncho- Baqueano culture to lamb cooking, having unique knives, made exclusively for the hotel.

“What we are developing is to make knives with identity”, says Riquelme, detailing that the proposal is to rescue the gaucho-baqueano and the knife he uses in his belt, a fundamental part of his clothing and the work he does in Patagonia.

The chef of Hotel Las Torres says that the type of knife they want to adapt is the verijero, a great representative of the culture of the area, a tool that he wants to develop to be used both as a knife and as a fork, considering that the work of preparing lamb requires deep cuts and also a secure grip on the meat to be able to serve it.

The blades of this instrument are made of high-carbon steel, forged in Riquelme’s smithy in Puerto Natales. “High-carbon knives are more resistant than traditional knives,” explains the artisan, explaining that “an ordinary stainless steel kitchen knife will usually begin to have its teeth marked after constant use. On the other hand, a knife with a high carbon content recovers its edge much more quickly, which is why gauchos use this type of tool.

The handle of this knife will also have the identity of the materials of the area, since the wood used in its manufacture will come from ñirre, lenga and coihue. Craftsmanship that will also have the resin encapsulation of flowers such as the Chinese lantern and give a final touch and aesthetic to this tool.

These new knives can be seen by our guests at the time of participating in a traditional lamb barbecue during the coming season, to always have the contribution of local artisans in the services of the hotel.