Celebrity Chef Francis Mallmann Has a Private Island in Patagonia — and You Can Stay There

On a private island in Patagonia's stunning Lago La Plata, chef Francis Mallmann serves the unexpected: vegetarian cuisine It took almost three days to reach La Isla, celebrity chef Francis Mallmann's private island at the far-flung western edge of Patagonia. The journey required two flights to get from New York to southern Argentina's port city of Comodoro Rivadavia, followed by a six-hour drive along empty dirt roads and, finally, a boat ride across Lago La Plata, on which I weathered the freezing temperatures in a full-body waterproof suit. By the time the speedboat pulled up to the dock of the 15-acre island, I was delirious with exhaustion, my face and toes numb from the cold. But 10 minutes later, after being escorted to my cabin — a cocoon of warmth filled with cozy furniture — my discomfort melted away. The contrasts of that first day in Mallmann's secret hideaway put me in a state of relief so intense it bordered on rapture. For the next several days, that bliss never wavered

On a private island in Patagonia's stunning Lago La Plata, chef Francis Mallmann serves the unexpected: vegetarian cuisine It took almost three days to reach La Isla, celebrity chef Francis Mallmann's private island at the far-flung western edge of Patagonia. The journey required two flights to get from New York to southern Argentina's port city of Comodoro Rivadavia, followed by a six-hour drive along empty dirt roads and, finally, a boat ride across Lago La Plata, on which I weathered the freezing temperatures in a full-body waterproof suit. By the time the speedboat pulled up to the dock of