A Magical Night in Marismo: Rutini Wines Opens the Season in José Ignacio
Rutini Wines inaugurated the Punta del Este season in José Ignacio with a bang.
The dinner that was announced for December 21 at Marismo by Federico Desseno, the owner of the house, and Juliana López May, ended up being an unforgettable meeting with none other than Francis Mallmann among the guests.
The famous chef and mentor of countless top chefs, among them López May and Desseno himself, was present at Marismo to enjoy a menu that offered summer punch, onion piadina and smoked eggplants as a reception.
Then a starter of carrots baked in a clay oven with burrata, hazelnuts and mint; a main course of slow-cooked fish and Mediterranean potatoes and a sweet table for dessert.
All accompanied by wines from Rutini Wines.
It was a special evening by the light of Marismo’s fire, faithful to the spirit of the place: “with our feet in the sand” and full of affection and devotion for good food.
Juliana López May was the guest star of the evening.
She and Desseno have known each other since the days of Los Negros (Mallmann’s restaurant where they both worked in the mid-nineties) and it was not difficult to agree on the menu.
The catch of the day helped: about four sole from La Paloma and a black sea bass.
The fire, the kitchen in full view of the diners and the reunion with maestro Mallmann made it a perfect night for López May.
The wines chosen for the occasion were: Rutini Pinot Noir, Rutini Sauvignon Blanc, Rutini Cabernet Malbec and Trumpeter Extra Brut.
Federico Desseno arrived in Uruguay in 1996 “with a bicycle and a bag” to do an internship at Los Negros.
When the summer passed, Mallmann asked him to stay working in March and, at the end of March, he decided to stay for the whole year.
Since then he has been living and working in Uruguay with his family.
In addition to Marismo, which opened in 2001, Desseno also runs La Cantina del Vigía in Maldonado.
Federico belongs to a lineage of cooks and carpenters.
Marismo was built with his own hands and he says that his maternal grandfather “used to glue with hot fish glue”.
Among his ancestors there are also boat cooks, confectioners, bartenders.
His is a mixture of fire, wood and sea.
At Marismo everything has an intimate, artisanal feel to it: from the unique atmosphere created between the fire, the outdoors and the stars, to each ingredient sought with care and respect for real food.
It’s not just fish sourced from local fishermen: Desseno declares himself a forager whose cuisine is defined by the quality of the product.
A big part of the job is sourcing the best raw materials.
Then comes the skill to honor them in the kitchen and turn them into an unforgettable dish.
From that point of view a bunch of freshly harvested carrots from a neighbor’s agro-ecological garden can be a find that sets the tone for the day’s menu.
Another detail that makes Marismo’s atmosphere unique are the wooden sculptures that inhabit this wild space.
They are the work of Federico’s paternal uncle, the award-winning artist José Alberto Desseno, some of whose works can be seen in Parque Avellaneda or in the port of Mar del Plata.
Rutini Wines had the privilege of opening the season in this unique enclave of José Ignacio where Desseno and López May were delighted to entertain their master in an unforgettable evening.
