On the origin of French fries: Evidence from Nacimiento, Chile 17th century

Abstract

This article explores the possible mestizo origin of French fries, based on a reference contained in Cautiverio feliz, from the year 1673, by the Chilean soldier and chronicler Francisco Núñez de Pineda y Bascuñán. The testimony, dated 29 November 1629 at Fuerte de Nacimiento in southern Chile, is analyzed in the context of cultural exchange between Mapuche communities and Spanish colonisers, and may represent the earliest known written record of the preparation of fried potatoes—predating European references by more than a century. The research combines documentary and philological analysis of colonial sources, experimental reconstruction of culinary techniques, and collection of oral knowledge, contrasting these findings with the dominant European narratives of Belgian and French origin. Although no conclusive archaeological evidence has yet been found, the study proposes a mestizo–Mapuche hypothesis, challenging Eurocentric accounts of culinary innovation and recognising indigenous heritage as an active component of global gastronomic history. Finally, the article outlines new interdisciplinary research directions to test this hypothesis and to position Nacimiento as a potential heritage site in the world history of food.