[2] He later moved to Buenos Aires, where he worked at conventillos and learned typical gaucho dishes, and then became a cook at the Argentine Navy.

By the time the 1916 Argentine Independence Centennial celebrations rolled around, Gonzaga was already a popular name among Buenos Aires aristocratic circles.

[1][4] His rise in popularity, however, was eventually overshadowed by another famous Argentine cookbook writer, Doña Petrona, who would go on to revolutionize the field by becoming Argentina's first television chef.

In particular, the use of achuras such as chorizo and chitterlings, and the steps for preparing the asado, are credited to Gonzaga's recipes in El cocinero práctico.

[1][4][6] Gonzaga's Afro-Argentine background has also led to speculation regarding the possible African origins of the asado, although consensus has not been reached by historians and researchers.