Marcelo Argueta
Cochonneries | Brooklyn
February 2023
At 15 years old, Argueta was tossing pizzas at a small restaurant in Montreal. Argueta found his stride in the kitchen, working his way up to head pizza maker within a year. He attended culinary school in Buenos Aires, finding inspiration in the local mixture of European, South American, and indigenous cuisines. Back in Montreal, he went on to join the team at Restaurant Candide, where he learned firsthand how to forge connections with local farmers and purveyors.
While at Candide, Argueta was introduced to Butcher David Aghapekian of Boucherie dans la Côte and went on to begin an apprenticeship with him. He dove into the world of charcuterie, growing his skills and finding his place in the industry. In 2018, Argueta moved to Reynard at The Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn under Chef Christina Lecki, moving up from line cook to the head butcher of the restaurant's whole animal program. During the pandemic, Argueta found a place at Foster Sundry, eventually becoming head butcher.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Argueta began curing and fermenting on his own time, eventually producing enough charcuterie to form a small wholesale business called Cochonneries. His product continued to find space on menus across New York City, and in January 2023, Argueta partnered with Chef Daniel Eddy and the Winner family to open Winner Butcher in Park Slope. Cochonneries strives to keep the tradition of whole animal butchery and charcuterie alive, focusing on local and sustainable sourcing and new twists on classic charcuterie.
