Amidst the clatter of pots and pans during peak lunch hours in the five-star kitchen of Frangipani, chef Patricia Suarez is a picture of calm. The 48-year-old Argentine chef, who arrived in Mumbai four days ago, is giving final touches to criolla, as she familiarises a core team of chefs from the restaurant with the nuances of the country's cuisine, gently taking them through the process of dishing out an authentic plate of Argentine food.

The criolla — a salsa-like accompaniment served with main course, in this case, chicken milanesa — is a burst of colours with bell peppers, and freshly plucked herbs. But the chef's penchant for freshness is sealed when she asks for a tomato to be chopped right before she brings the criolla and other components of the milanesa out of the kitchen and into the restaurant area for the final plating.