I much prefer Christmas in Detroit to Christmas in Buenos Aires.

‍Argentina during the holidays is super hot, so we just usually swim and barbecue meats. I’m sure that sounds nice to you, but as South Americans, we grew up watching American films about Christmas: It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, and Die Hard. When you grow up in Argentina, you yearn for an American Christmas. One year when I was 25, I dressed up as Santa and climbed the roof of my aunt’s house. Keep in mind that Santa still wears all the same clothes in Argentina. So it was so hot, and I was very drunk (again, I was 25!). I slipped, fell, rolled off the roof, and landed on my aunt’s garden. I had this big bag of toys that fell everywhere; it was hilarious. By the time I saw the kids, I was a sweaty mess. I’m sure my little cousins took one look at me and didn’t believe in Santa anymore. I’ll never forget our first Christmas in America, though, here in Detroit. It was 2019, and it snowed. Like, actually snowed! It was amazing. We made a snowman, ate beef, and had a merry time. And while I’m excited for Christmas this year, I can’t help but reflect on how eventful the rest of the year was, too.

It felt like we packed several years into 2025. It brought change, growth, surprises, and a few moments I’ll never forget, including a big spark at Barda last month. For those who don’t know, a few weeks back our wood-burning oven got so hot that it started a small fire. Don’t worry, nobody was in danger. In fact, everybody was taking pictures (haha!). Still, several firetrucks showed up and we had to shut down service for the evening. On a Friday night. Even in the chaos, there was something beautiful about how everyone came together, team and patrons alike.

My restaurants are filled with so much passion and energy, and we had nights where Barda and Puma felt more alive than ever. That small spark at Barda reminded me how quickly things can shift, how alive these restaurants truly are, and how strong we are when we rebuild together. The fire came back to our restaurants, literally, but so did the spirit of why we do what we do.

I love being a chef and a leader. I feed on that energy. But I also love transferring that energy to my team. This year, we had team members move on, people I’ll truly miss, and we welcomed new faces who brought fresh energy, new perspectives, and a reminder of why this work is so exciting. Watching both teams evolve at Puma and Barda this year was emotional at times, but it also renewed my motivation as a chef and as a leader.

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The fire and passion that our new team members bring is unlike anything I’ve seen. Patrick, our chef de cuisine who oversees both kitchens, is a phenomenal human being. He’s honest, knowledgeable, and calm. He brings a lot of composure under pressure, and this is a pressure-cooked business. The entire team between Barda and Puma is just amazing, and I couldn’t have asked for better human beings to stand alongside me in the fire.There were other moments that changed me, too. Going to Paris inspired me in ways I’m still processing — its restaurants, its rhythm, its confidence. I carried that Parisian energy back with me, and it pushed me to keep redefining what we do here at home.

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Next year, we will be opening a brand new event space next door to Puma — perfect for business meetings, birthdays, graduations, or whatever exciting life event you may want to celebrate.Change is good, my friends. You always start with an idea, but you never know where you’re going to end up. A word of wisdom: Don’t be afraid to grow with your ideas. As my wife, Franca, says: “Ideas are the spark, and then you start building upon them.” Having two restaurants is like having two kids. And as a father, you want nothing more than to see your children succeed. A restaurant is always a kid. You’re always going to be involved. You need to take care of it like you nurture a baby. You need to let it grow. There is no other way (at least for me).More than anything, this year taught me that a restaurant is never just a restaurant. It’s the people who show up every day, the guests who trust us with their time, and the community that grows around the table. Nothing we achieved happened alone. As we head into the new year, I feel grateful for the lessons, the challenges, the laughter, the travel, the dishes that worked, the ones that didn’t, and the team that held it all together. I’m excited for what’s next and for everything we’ll cook, create, and learn in 2026.

Thanks for being part of this journey.

- Javier