Legendary South American chef, Francis Mallmann was recently on Australian shores as a guest at the World Chef Showcase event in Sydney, where he held the attention of the packed conference room with his energy, generousity and belief for food cooked over fire.

One of his favourite ways to cook is with a parilla (a barbecue grill) over live coals – considered to be the method of choice across Argentina and Uruguay. Here are some of the valuable tips he shared with the audience…

– Take your time and enjoy the process.

– Don’t keep touching or flipping the meat. “That first contact with the grill has to be respected.”

– Place the coals in a circle or square to help ensure the meat is tender.

– Be aware that the temperature of the meat can change quickly when cooking outdoors (i.e. wind conditions).

– Stick to the basics and keep things simple.

“If you respect the ingredients, they will reward you.” – Francis Mallmann.

This weekend, try Francis Mallmann’s Chimichurri BBQ Recipe, from his book Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way. We promise it will be the highlight of your BBQ meal.

*Image copyright Steven Siewert, Sydney Morning Herald.