Portrait of Ivan Azar
i. Biography
Ivan Azar has led Casa Vigil in Mendoza, Argentina, as Executive Chef since 2019. The position reads as the result of work accumulated over time: first at Fierro in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he began as chef, then into a broader remit in Mendoza. The movement from one kitchen to the next shows a career built through practice and study, with each step adding range without breaking continuity.
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The Climb
A first post as chef at Fierro in Buenos Aires, Argentina, marked the opening phase of Ivan Azar’s professional life in the kitchen. From there, he moved to Casa Vigil in Mendoza, Argentina, as Executive Chef from 2019, taking on a role that carries responsibility for the kitchen’s direction. The arc between those two houses points to steady accumulation rather than leaps: service repeated, technique refined, and study used to widen what the job could hold.
Today
Today, Ivan Azar is Executive Chef at Casa Vigil in Mendoza, Argentina. The role places him at the center of the kitchen’s daily pace, with the authority that comes from sustained practice and the discipline of continued study. His own account makes the method plain: work first, then learning, with curiosity kept active instead of treated as an afterthought.
Signature
Ivan's signature dishes include Uspallata Potatoes Soup, Trout - Saffron - Watercress, and Cured Silverside + Tiger's Milk and Artichokes + Zucchini. The titles point to a cooking style that works through contrast and arrangement, letting each ingredient hold its place. Uspallata Potatoes Soup suggests a grounded, warming line; Trout - Saffron - Watercress shifts toward brightness; and Cured Silverside + Tiger's Milk and Artichokes + Zucchini sets up a more layered composition. Taken together, they show a chef attentive to balance, texture, and clarity.
In Their Words “I did not teach myself. I started working and also decided to study to expand my knowledge.” “I asked everything; I was annoying, with a strong desire to know.” Those lines describe a working method more than a personal myth. Azar sets practice and study side by side, treating the kitchen as a place where repetition and formal learning can reinforce one another. The second quote sharpens the picture: a chef willing to press for answers, keep asking, and use that insistence to build a broader technical base.
FAQ
Asked of Ivan
What is Ivan Azar's current role?
Ivan Azar is Executive Chef.
Where did Ivan Azar work before?
Ivan Azar's earlier career included Fierro and Casa Vigil.
The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Ivan Azar in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
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