Agustin Balbi, born in Ramos Mejía near Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a Spanish-Italian family, discovered his passion for cooking at his grandmother's table and began his career at 18 after culinary school in Buenos Aires. He gained experience in New Orleans at Stella and stages in Chicago and New York before moving to Japan at 24, where he spent seven years honing skills at two-Michelin-starred Zurriola, three-Michelin-starred Nihonryori Ryugin, and two-Michelin-starred Cuisine[s] Michel Troisgros, learning Japanese language and culture. Relocating to Hong Kong in 2016 as head chef at Haku, he opened Andō in 2020 with JIA Group, earning a Michelin star in six months and Asia's 50 Best ranking; his cuisine blends ancestral roots with Japanese precision, focusing on memories, premium ingredients, and omotenashi hospitality, while he gives back through charities like More Good.