Francis’ books are extensions of his way of living and cooking: written reflections shaped by fire, memory, and place. They move between recipe and story, instruction and philosophy, capturing moments rather than systems. Each book offers an invitation to slow down, cook with instinct, and see the world through a quieter, more deliberate lens.
Seven Fires (2009)
A seminal cookbook that redefines live-fire cooking. Rooted in Argentine traditions and Mallmann’s Patagonian upbringing, the book explores seven distinct fire techniques adapted for the home cook. Rejecting refined, fussy gastronomy, Mallmann embraces an elemental approach where fire, instinet, and landscape shape the food. The recipes range from iconic grilled meats and whole vegetables to rustic desserts, all designed for indoor or outdoor cooking. Evocative photography situates the food within Patagonia, Buenos Aires, and rural Uruguay, making Seven Fires as much a manifesto of freedom and simplicity as it is a cookbook.
Mallmann On Fire (2014)
Elemental, fundamental, and delicious” is how Anthony Bourdain describes the trailblazing live-fire cooking of Francis Mallmann. The New York Times called Mallmann’s first book, Seven Fires, “captivating” and “inspiring.” And now, in Mallmann on Fire, the passionate master of the Argentine grill takes us grilling in magical places—in winter’s snow, on mountaintops, on the beach, on the crowded streets of Manhattan, on a deserted island in Patagonia, in Paris, Brooklyn, Bolinas, Brazil—each locale inspiring new discoveries as revealed in 100 recipes for meals both intimate and outsized. We encounter legs of lamb and chicken hung from strings, coal-roasted delicata squash, roasted herbs, a parrillada of many fish, and all sorts of griddled and charred meats, vegetables, and fruits, plus rustic desserts cooked on the chapa and baked in wood-fired ovens. At every stop along the way there is something delicious to eat and a lesson to be learned about slowing down and enjoying the process, not just the result.z
Green Fire (2022)
Reimagines live-fire cooking through vegetables and fruit, applying Francis Mallmann’s elemental techniques to the garden. Using flame, coals, smoke, and restraint, Mallmann transforms familiar produce—eggplants buried in embers, cabbages grilled like steaks, scorched Brussels sprout leaves, fire-roasted fruits—into deeply flavored, instinctive dishes. Part manifesto, part cookbook, the book argues for simplicity, attention, and a more plant-forward way of cooking, showing how fire can elevate vegetables and fruit to the same expressive intensity once reserved for meat.