A thousand ozerniks and Demidov-style tongue: gastronomic brands of the South Urals presented at the National Centre RUSSIA

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On 10 October, as part of the Chelyabinsk Region Days at the exposition "Region-2030. Platform of the Future" at the National Centre RUSSIA, a gastronomic show titled "Dishes from the Camel " was held. Visitors learned the recipes and had the opportunity to taste dishes that have become the hallmark of the South Urals.

Brand-chef of the "Riabininy Estate" restaurant Yevgeny Mikhailov treated guests to rye-dough ozerniks filled with cream and caviar sauce and pike perch, shangis — or "shanezhki", as they are affectionately called by locals — with mashed potatoes, salted mushrooms, pickled cucumbers, and apple uzvar. He shared secrets of combining different culinary techniques and traditions, introduced the audience to distinctive dishes of the region such as cabbage soup made with kvass, and emphasised the importance of preserving regional traditions for the development of Russian cuisine.

"This year, during the 'Dishes from the Camel' festival celebrating the City Day in Chelyabinsk, my team and I set a gastronomic record — we baked a thousand ozerniks. Now residents and visitors of the city know that we have such a culinary brand, which we plan to promote in other regions. In addition, I work with specialised educational institutions to show that our profession is truly interesting, creative, and appealing," said Yevgeny Mikhailov.

The masterclass and tasting continued with brand-chef of "Y Bistro" Konstantin Lyashkov and chef, expert in Ural Cossack cuisine, Alexei Belkin. They introduced guests to the dish "Demidov-style tongue", cooked in a traditional Russian oven. The tender beef tongue was complemented by a wild ranetka apple marinade and a potato-turnip draniki pancake, while the sauce — "makalo" made from lingonberries, honey, and garlic — added a distinctive touch.

"For me, Ural cuisine embodies the very flavours we are revealing to you today: our shangis, our ozerniks, our Demidov-style tongue. These dishes may not claim absolute authenticity since they are presented in a restaurant format, but now, having tried them, you can visit the Chelyabinsk region and remember the moment you first experienced these flavours here — at our gastronomic showcase," said Konstantin Lyashkov.

Alexei Belkin spoke not only about culinary traditions but also about the values behind authentic Ural cuisine.

"The foundation of real cooking lies in your own homestead — it’s natural products that create that unmistakable taste. And, you know, cooking is also a language of respect between people. So I am infinitely grateful to everyone who preserves and revives the traditions of Ural cuisine," said Alexei Belkin.

The tasting of traditional Ural dishes left no one indifferent, with special compliments coming from those who know the flavours firsthand.

"I’m from Chelyabinsk myself, and I can confirm everything said here about our traditional cuisine. The ozernik was delicious — very thin dough and lots of filling. You rarely find that in cooking today," shared Olga, a guest of the gastronomic show.

The event was accompanied by a performance from folk-DJ Vlad Ethnic, highlighting the region’s unique character.

The Regional Days are held as part of the exposition "Region-2030. Platform of the Future" at the National Centre RUSSIA from September to October. Visitors have already explored the Republic of Dagestan, the Voronezh, Tula and Amur regions, as well as the Jewish Autonomous Region. The Chelyabinsk region’s cultural and educational programme runs from 7 to 12 October, while the Nenets Autonomous Area will conclude the series of regional presentations from 14 to 19 October.