He is 21 years old and emigrated to Spain 2 years ago: “It is true that here you started to do the dishes or to walk dogs, but you still live well and you save money”

Manuel Topelberg (21) lived in La Plata and from childhood – influenced by his grandmother and great aunt who came from Poland to Argentina – he embraced a passion: cooking. For this reason, he obtained his diploma in gastronomy technician and, in February 2020, decided that it was time to follow his dreams.

“I left alone and at 19 years of age to experience the adventure of Europe. It was clear to me that I didn’t want to be in Argentina: I knew my future was here. I was inspired by my great aunt who was a cook and who came from Poland. He came to Argentina by boat because he escaped the war and I fled Argentina to Europe. I did the opposite way», Said Manuel Infobae.

But nothing would be easy. For your excellent grades in your studies, He obtained a 5-month internship to work in a restaurant in the Basque Country. In February 2020, he arrived in San Sebastian, but a few days later the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, so he was only able to work for a month and a half.

“My boss called me to tell me not to leave because they were going to shut everything down. I was left alone. I didn’t know what to do: I thought about going back, but I finally decided to stay like this. I started selling burgers in the building where I lived. So I started to collect money to survive and I went to my brother’s in Barcelona, ​​where I continued to sell burgers, ”he said.

“I wanted to stay in Europe, so I found a job in Barcelona as a pothole because it always starts from the bottom, but then you go rock climbing. A month later, I found another job in a Catalan grill as a kitchen assistant and I was in charge of shipping the dishes, decorating and dressing them. Innovating and decorating the dishes suits me very well ”, he assured.

Corn In October 2020, a new wave of COVID caused the closure of Barcelona, with curfew included. Manuel spent what he had saved to stay in Eruopa, until the situation returns to normal. But when everything was falling back into place, his mother suggested that he return to Argentina. Then in January 2021 he returned to La Plata without imagining that an unexpected encounter would bring him back to Spain.

In La Plata, he meets Gaston Riveira, owner of La Cabrera grill with two locations in Palermo, several branches around the world and classified in the Top 50 Best Latin American Restaurants. The multi-award-winning chef and businessman was opening another store in the provincial capital of Buenos Aires. Manuel knew him to see him at the gastronomy school where he was studying, so at one point he had the opportunity to talk to him and Riveiro told him he was about to open another restaurant, this time in Malaga, thus landing for the first time in Europe.

“When I got back to Barcelona, ​​I wrote to him and he told me that the place was operational. I was doing an internship at Hermanos Torres – an exclusive and modern restaurant in this Spanish city – so I waited a few days, wrote to him again and, at the end of June, I ended up being the first employee of La Cabrera in Malaga“, He explained.

“Everything is spectacular and I am very happy. I earn between 1,300 and 1,400 euros. I have two and a half days free. My boss saw that I had to occupy a higher position than that of cook, so today I am the second to the chef. People go to Europe with a suitcase full of dreams and seek quality of life. Now I live alone in my apartment near the center and I have the beach 15 minutes away. I have all the comforts, a great quality of life, I can go out to eat and do what I want, working 40 hours a week and with days off, ”he revealed.

“Malaga is the first place in Europe where La Cabrera has opened, but it is already in the Philippines, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia and in January 2022 it is launched in Miami. It’s the first time Gastón has traveled to train the kitchen team, so now he’s here. Before, the staff from each country would go to train in the premises in Buenos Aires and later they would come back with all the necessary knowledge, ”he said.

Based on his experience, Manuel admits that He is outraged when he reads the comments on social media of those who criticize those who emigrate because the first job they get – as it happened to him – is usually the one in pothole, but he says it was the kickoff that got him where he is today.

“There is a bad impression of Europe. They think we all leave like potholes or dog walkers, and that’s not true. I only did the dishes for 20 days and I couldn’t take it anymore. So I broke my soul to find another job and endured the worst of the pandemic, but all the efforts paid off. That is true, At first you do the dishes or work as a waiter, but here with this salary you can live very well and you can save“, Held.

“My Argentinian friends can’t make ends meet and they have to ask their parents for help. I can live alone, save money, travel to Europe, go out to eat… Also, you can walk quietly at night. There is no insecurity in Argentina. My father has had his premises in La Plata for 32 years and he also wants to emigrate to Spain. We young people are leaving Argentina because we wonder why we are going to stay. Many don’t want to be far from their families but with what you earn here and save a few months, you can pay your parents’ tariff, ”he added.

For those who think they are following in his footsteps, Manuel advises that it is essential to have the papers to be able to work, because today there are many job offers, but few people are ready to apply.

“First of all, it’s important to come up with a title. It seems fundamental to me. In addition, you must have papers because otherwise it is impossible. Whoever has the opportunity to travel and does not feel comfortable in Argentina, comes to Europe to try it. If you manage to raise 2,000 euros, you can spend three months and look for a job. If you don’t like it, you come back: but here whoever wants to work can do it. It’s reality. I have a friend who wants to open three restaurants in Malaga and he can’t find people to work with. Job offers are plentiful. We even need three people for the kitchen and we still haven’t had them. People are ready to teach you if you have no experience», He underlined.

At just 21 years old, she has many unanswered dreams and says that she would like to work in the near future in a Michelin starred restaurant to further enrich her professional CV. Then, he aspires to open the doors of his own premises.

“The quality of life is superlative. They need to cheer themselves up. Whoever has the possibility to come should not hesitate because, the worst that can happen to him is to have to return to Argentina, but at least he will have the peace of mind of having tried. If I can stay in Europe, unless disaster strikes and I can’t find a job, I won’t go back to Argentina.», He concluded

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