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For many of the Premier League’s South American stars, Nico Frangione is the man they have to thank for helping them get a little taste of home while living in England.
Married to an Argentine woman in London, Frangione has turned his love of barbecue into a business opportunity that is gaining ground among top players from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay at clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Cooking delicacies reminiscent of the best asados gaúchos from Montevideo to Buenos Aires, the barbecue chef has even won over the taste buds of some who have never played in English football, such as Lionel Messi.
Frangione fell in love with parrillas while preparing them for his wife to bring her closer to her homeland. Since then, what used to be a ritual in the couple’s free time has become a connection to home for many who missed having a barbecue to call their own.
“It’s a way for them to get together socially with their club mates over the asado,” he tells ESPN. “It’s what they’ve always been used to, it’s part of the culture and it makes them feel at home.”
Frangione says the first star to get to know his culinary skills was Tottenham legend Osvaldo Ardiles, who won the 1978 World Cup with host nation Argentina before spending a decade at Spurs and subsequently settling in the UK.
Coaches such as Mauricio Pochettino (formerly of Spurs and Chelsea, and now in charge of the United States men’s national team) and Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) and Brazil internationals including Alisson (Liverpool), Douglas Luiz and Philippe Coutinho (ex-Aston Villa) have also helped spread the message for Frangione, who has also produced personalised barbecue grills for each one. The customised parrillas gaúchas, originally imported from Argentina but now made in the UK, can cost up to £6,745 ($8,860).
“They come to us and we consult with them, we understand what kind of grill they want, depending on the region they come from, in Argentina or Brazil,” he says. “We listen to everything and build them the best. Often, they customise it. So it really becomes a unique piece, which we hope they will keep for a lifetime.”
The success of the barbecues has been such that they’ve even ended up at team events, helping to galvanise squads featuring players from all over the world.
“In my opinion, this is a very important part, because a happy player is a good player,” Frangione says. “That’s why clubs invite us a lot, to create this bond with the team, to network, to eat together. All successful clubs do this, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
According to Frangione, the first club to request a barbecue was West Ham United, courtesy of the club’s then-player from Argentina, Pablo Zabaleta. Then it was the turn of Aston Villa, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United to have their own team asados.
“Today it’s easier to think of the clubs where we haven’t done,” he says. “We consider them friends. At Tottenham, for example, I think we’re the only caterers who have allowed [club chairman] Daniel Levy to cook for them. They all love it and end up having a good day.”
Of the 11 first-team players who won the Copa América for Argentina this summer, Frangione says eight are owners of one of his personalised grills, including Messi, who received his as a gift from former teammate Sergio Agüero. However, he has no doubts about which players are the best when it comes down to the serious business of cooking the meat.
“To be honest, they’re all reasonable,” he says, “but there are some who stand out more. I’d have to give it to [Emiliano] ‘Dibu’ Martínez and Nicolás Otamendi.”
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