"A dish without a story is just food": brand chefs at the National Centre RUSSIA named storytelling the foundation of the philosophy of the cuisine of the future
At the National Centre RUSSIA, as part of the Open Lecture
Hall "Inventing the Future: Plots and Stories", a gastronomic master
class titled "How Cultural Heritage Becomes a Source of Inspiration for
Contemporary Creators" was held. Contemporary gastronomy is not only a new
take on traditional dishes and a rethinking of ancient recipes, but also unique
stories told through emotions, associations and taste sensations.
The Vice President of Chefs Team Russia and brand chef of
the gastronomic centre "Chef’s Laboratory", Yevgeny Mikhailov,
presented his original interpretation of slow-cooked beef with spelt and a sour
cabbage soup sauce. He explained how and why modern cuisine combines different
flavours, experiments with textures, cooking times and presentation, and why
technology not only does not interfere with tradition but actually helps
preserve the connection with gastronomic heritage.
"Tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes and many other products
have already been invented, so our task as chefs is to create something new and
interesting from these ingredients using modern techniques and technologies.
For example, new textures can make what seems like the same product play in
completely different ways. Technology is also extremely important for the
development of our cuisine. We have a huge country and residents of Siberia can discover products from the European part of
Russia, while those living in the European part can, for example, try products
from the Far East. This is possible thanks to modern techniques and
technologies," Yevgeny Mikhailov explained.
The President of Chefs Team Russia and co-founder of the
gastronomic centre "Chef’s Laboratory", Nikolai Sarychev, treated the
audience to the dish "sveklushka" with Karelian trout and a
four-cornered kulebyaka pie. Guests witnessed familiar ingredients and classic
combinations being transformed into contemporary gastronomic masterpieces and
saw how meaningful, well-told stories give dishes their distinctive character.
"We use many innovations that allow us to present
products from more interesting perspectives. But if a dish does not have its
own story, then it essentially remains just food. When a product has a story,
it also becomes an experience. That is why I believe storytelling plays an
enormous role in modern restaurant gastronomy," Nikolai Sarychev said.
The Open Lecture Hall "Inventing the Future: Plots and
Stories" is an original project of the National Centre RUSSIA, created as
a continuation of the Symposium "Inventing the Future". The
large-scale educational event was held for the first time on 7 February and
brought together Russian and international experts who discussed scenarios of
the future through key dimensions of human development — from culture and
creativity to science and technology. Storytelling is the art of conveying
meaning through stories rather than dry facts. The culinary master class in the
Gastronomic Rows of the National Centre RUSSIA became the practical part of the
programme, connecting conversations about the future with a live experience of
discovering the country’s gastronomic traditions.
The gaming industry is turning into a major economic and cultural phenomenon.
These emerging trends were discussed by participants of the panel discussion "Stories in Advertising and Consumption" at the National Centre RUSSIA.
The premiere of the Open Lecture Hall "Inventing the Future: Plots and Stories" was held on 7 February at the National Centre RUSSIA.
