A hostel. A spa. A town that changes according to the time of year and that has been gradually mutating for decades, although in recent times it has seen its traditional structures shaken. A group of friends who carry out a project that becomes a success trying to preserve an identity despite the fact that their environment changes. A story that becomes a movie.
On January 8, the documentary premiered in José Ignacio La Huella: history of a beach inn, which over the course of 70 minutes summarizes the history of the famous venue, breaks down the main dishes on its menu and reviews the restaurant’s link with the fishing village that has become an exclusive seaside resort.
Directed by the Italian-American Alessio Rigo de Righi, the project stems from an initiative by the Argentine Carlos Gorosito, a client of The footprint and a friend of those responsible, and before having its local premiere it went through the San Sebastián film festival.
Martín Pittaluga, one of the owners and founders of La Huella along with Gustavo Barbero and Guzmán Artagaveytia, explains that he and his partners had the idea of making a documentary in mind for a long time, and that they had even come to present one, so a more “homemade” cut, from which this new film uses some historical images.
“We would have liked to see more of how La Huella changes depending on the time of year, and we would not appear so much, but we are very happy with the documentary, that the emblematic dishes can be explained, and show that link with the local, which is something that happens a lot in Uruguay and more and more, the use of local resources and ingredients”, he commented.
The link with the fishermen, with the farmers, with the local butchers is one of the strong points of the documentary, and Pittaluga says, about what has happened over the years with La Huella. “We are locals, we are very grateful to José Ignacio, and we take care of him together,” explains the businessman about the place, which takes its name from a painting by Pedro Figari.
Pittaluga considers that they have managed to keep up well with the changes that José Ignacio went through, although he acknowledges that he does not like the growing interest and the ever-higher value of the land in the spa. “Now other types of buyers are coming, even I am at risk of moving, although I don’t want to, because they offer me more and more tempting figures,” he comments with a laugh. “But we get along with the change,” he adds.
Classics such as the dulce de leche volcano, the variants of sushi offered by the parador and other traditional dishes of the place are reviewed and presented in different segments, something that Pittaluga considers that it shows that the place “has no secrets” (something that also shows the publication almost a decade ago of a book with his recipes that is still available in the place), and that is a sample for the world of cooking, on how those classics that have been on the menu for decades are prepared.
success and awards
The link between the restaurant and José Ignacio is one of the axes of the documentary
Originally planned as a beach inn inspired by the 1950s (as opposed to the “berreta” inns of the 80s and 90s, compare Pittaluga), La Huella grew alongside José Ignacio until it became a massive place, with long waiting and hundreds of covers per day in high season. The person in charge of the parador, however, points out that they consider themselves just one more link in the chain of Uruguayan gastronomy, heirs of those who made it grow before and influencers of those who came after.
“We started when arugula was not available in Uruguay”, recalls Pittaluga. “But we were one more, in a country where people like Jean Paul Bondoux, Francis Mallmann and Ana María Bozzo, who generated change. We only have the pride of having been a school, because we are not owners of ideas. Perhaps if we establish a style of service and show that it is possible to be successful with something of quality, which is what makes us happy”, she considers.
In addition to the profusion of customers, La Huella has consistently been on the list of the 50 best restaurants in Latin America, reaching number 11 in 2015, and in the top 25 in the 2022 edition. On how they get along with that guy of recognitions, Pittaluga said “we did not take it as pressure, we were recognized as the best restaurant in Uruguay, which is something that makes me a bit ashamed. But We do not expose the prizes, we accept them and they are good for us, for Maldonado and for Uruguay, but we know that today we receive them and tomorrow they can be given to others. The important thing is that Uruguay does not lose them, and we understand that they are prizes from colleagues who out there focus not only on the food, but also on the atmosphere, which is something that is key for us”.
The move of La Huella
The restaurant is facing a turning point in its history. For “pressure from neighbors” the parador will leave its current location within the next two years, with Rocha as your new home, although near José Ignacio, on the other side of the Garzón lagoon.
“We understand that we are affected by the movement of cars and the garbage that is generated. We have already been prohibited from having parties such as weddings, which were held out of season, something that is not right for us, but due to different factors we are facing this move. It will not be the same”, considers Pittaluga about this historical change.
