Polar pontoon and porridge with Ladoga whitefish: the RUSSIA EXPO presented cuisine for travelers
Chefs revealed the secrets of onboard cuisine and showed
what they cook for travelers on river ships and in airplanes. Guests of the
RUSSIA EXPO visited the gastronomic cruise "Native Shores" from
Vodokhod' company and tasted "airborne" cuisine together with Aeromar
company, which prepares food for Aeroflot's clients.
Vodokhod's brand-chef Rustam Mamedov, pastry chef Gulia
Bulatova, chef-mentors Svetlana Lee and Oleg Egay, chef of the motor ship
"Maxim Gorky" Ivan Shishkov and chef of the motor ship "Lev Tolstoy"
Vladimir Mineev demonstrated their culinary skills and spoke about the best
recipes from the banks of the great Russian rivers - the Volga and Yenisei.
The guests of the Exposition saw a masterclass on cooking
"Polar Pontoon", Ladoga whitefish with cedar porridge, Siberian
dessert of taiga berry with pine nuts and sack of stewed duck and millet
porridge. After the masterclass, visitors to the House of Russian Cuisine
Pavilion were treated to a tasting.
"We mainly use local products to prepare our dishes.
Our menu is developed based on the places we pass during cruises. In addition,
the class of the ship matters - a different menu is developed for each class.
We also organize thematic dinners using local products - for example, products
of the Volga cuisine," said Rustam Mamedov.
The idea to create the "Native Shores" concept
arose due to the desire of the Vodokhod' cruise company to introduce its guests
to the rich culinary traditions of the peoples of Russia. The company's chefs
thoroughly studied the peculiarities of local dishes from St. Petersburg to
Baikal, tasted local products, learned about the history of their use in order
to create a thematic menu. Thanks to the "Native Shores" concept,
guests of the cruise company can not only enjoy exquisite cuisine, but also get
a better idea of the place they are in.
The second masterclass at the House of Russian Cuisine was
held under the company's motto "With you both in the sky and on the
ground": Aeromar's chef Ruslan Mutaliev prepared porridge with apples
fried in orange caramel for the guests of the RUSSIA EXPO. This dish is popular
among Aeroflot passengers.
The chef with 26-year experience said that passengers like
pasta with meat most of all and advised to choose tomato juice from all drinks
on the plane: it will help to unfold the flavor of any dish.
"The main feature of in-flight meals is that it should
be made more flavorful, because at altitude taste buds are dulled and dishes
"pale" in flavor by about 40%. The easiest way to reveal the full
flavor of dishes in flight is to drink tomato juice," Ruslan Mutaliev
explained.
He also explained why it is impossible to get poisoned by
airplane food: the same chefs cook for passengers and crew, and the pilots'
well-being and the safety of people on board depend on them. The food is sealed
in special containers and heated in high-tech ovens.
"It's like feeding the president - very responsible. We
add a lot of spices, cook a lot of sauces and try to offer a special menu, including
dietary and kosher. You can often get it for free by pre-ordering when you buy
a ticket. But the most important thing for a chef is to put a part of his soul
into what he cooks, so that after our dishes people want to fly with this
company again. When you do everything with love, everything works out,"
said the chef.
The participants of the masterclass were also treated to a
hot meal: omelet with chicken kupaty, it was complemented by a snack-box. The
highlight of the event were Aeroflot flight attendants and a performance by VIA
ADAM.
The first event to be held at the Russia National Centre, which is being established by the order of President Vladimir Putin, will be the International Science Fiction Symposium and Exhibition "Inventing the Future". The symposium will take place from November 4 to 6.
Tomorrow, the International RUSSIA EXPO will conclude its work. From November 2023 to July 2024, it was visited by more than 18 million guests.
Every day, for eight months, the RUSSIA EXPO delighted guests and gave unforgettable emotions.