Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed recognizing Russian cuisine as an intangible heritage of Russia. However, this important decision must be supported by regulatory documents, which are necessary not only for the popularization of Russian dishes but also for the creation of methodological recommendations for food service establishments. Currently, over 90% of modern food service establishments offer menus of European, Asian, Scandinavian, or mixed cuisines. To promote national cuisine and foster positive publicity for regional food products produced in Russia, a decision has been made to hold an All-Russian Festival of Russian Cuisine. The working group on promoting Russian cuisine includes historians, representatives of the restaurant industry, and industry associations.
Given the long-term strategic decisions adopted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, revising the approach to implementing educational programs aimed at training personnel for the food industry is particularly important. The Higher School of Biotechnology and Food Production carefully preserves and passes on to students the long-standing traditions and experience of preparing Russian cuisine.
At the origins of the school of culinary technologists of national Russian dishes were Professor of the Department of Technology and Organization of Food Services at the St. Petersburg Institute of Trade and Economics, war veteran Nikolai Kovalev (1914–2004) and his students, Professor Margarita Kutkina and Associate Professor Natalia Kartseva, who were the first to develop the structure of the course "Russian Cuisine" and create its teaching and methodological complex for students specializing in food technology.
The work of Professors Nikolai Kovalev and Margarita Kutkina is being continued today by HSE teachers Svetlana Eliseeva, Natalia Barsukova, Alla Smolentseva, Ekaterina Fedinishina, Maria Kireeva, Valeria Bychenkova, and Elena Trukhina.
In 2018, a monograph co-authored by Margarita Kutkina and Svetlana Eliseeva, "Russian National Cuisine: From the Depths of Centuries to the Present Day," was published. It won a prize in the competition for educational and scientific publications at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
This book is the result of a tremendous amount of painstaking work, in which the authors sought to summarize unique historical material, the recipes for forgotten dishes and products of Russian cuisine, and adapted the recipes preserved in historical documents to the modern technological equipment of the food industry, including weights and precise ingredient proportions. Thus, a vast array of forgotten, traditional Russian recipes has become accessible for practical use, noted Maxim Syrnikov, author of the culinary bestsellers "Real Russian Food" and "Cooking Russian Every Day" and host of the "Monastic Kitchen" series on the Spas TV channel.
Svetlana Eliseeva, author of the monograph "Russian National Cuisine: From the Depths of Centuries to the Present Day" and the online course "Molecular Gastronomy," explained: "The central focus of the research and project work of students and faculty at the Higher School of Biotechnology and Food Production is the preservation of Russian national cuisine traditions. These include, for example, "Studying the Nutritional Value of Russian Folk Dishes and Its Implementation in the Food Industry," "Researching the Functional and Technological Properties of Regional Food Resources of Plant and Animal Origin," and "Developing Recipes and Technologies for Authentic Culinary Products of the Peoples of Russia."
The course "Health-Saving Technologies in Ethnic Nutrition" for technology students covers the history of Russian folk cuisine, the phenomenon of St. Petersburg cuisine in the 18th and 19th centuries, the national culinary traditions of the peoples of Russia, and the physiological and genetic characteristics of our country's minority ethnic groups. Practical classes are devoted to developing national dishes such as "Berry Sbiten with Honey," "Rye Gingerbread," "Rye Fishnik," "Shangi with Bird Cherry Glaze," "Buckwheat Krupenik with Cottage Cheese," and others. The course's research project plan includes topics related to the preservation and popularization of Russian cuisine, the study of the nutritional and biological value of its traditional dishes, and the practical implementation of these dishes in the food industry.
Since 2012, as part of the program to develop student associations, the Higher School of Biotechnology and Food Production established the "Center for the Preservation and Support of Russian Cuisine Traditions." Its goals include studying the cultural values of our country, engaging young people in research and practical work to preserve and support Russian culinary traditions, and helping students adapt professionally to practical work in the food service industry. Students actively participate in promoting Russian cuisine. For example, in 2018, Polytech hosted a street food festival called "National Street Food by Students of Polytech." A team of student technologists from the Higher School of Biotechnology and Food Production, led by Svetlana Eliseeva, presented products based on Russian recipes.
Members of YesLab, the Polytechnic University's culinary student organization, are actively engaged in the study and promotion of Russian cuisine. It will celebrate its 10th anniversary next year. This February, YesLab activists organized a master class with Yegor Nikonov, executive chef of the Tochka na Karte hotel chain and the Igora resort, on the topic "The Influence of Regional Dishes and Traditions on the Creation of a Conceptual Menu." Meetings with practitioners motivate students to study and develop professionally, build their own successful career paths in the food industry, and promote national cuisine.
Our students' high level of practical training helps them achieve high results in professional competitions. These include the VkusVill student incubator for innovative food product development and the EuroFoods Awards culinary championship (supported by EuroFoods and the Baltic Association of Chefs and Catering Enterprises), shared Valeria Bychenkova, associate professor at the Higher School of Business and Food Safety and the curator of the YesLab student organization.
In 2024, at the request of the St. Petersburg Department of Social Nutrition, faculty from the Higher School of Food Production Biotechnology developed recipes, assessed nutritional value, and created methodological recommendations for the preparation of over 500 dishes and products. The materials were compiled into the "Collection of Recipes for Dishes and Culinary Products for Providing Nutrition to Pupils and Students of St. Petersburg State Educational Institutions." This 800-page collection is a unique document containing over 500 recipe cards for dishes and culinary products, developed taking into account the physiological needs and modern requirements for the organization of nutrition for children and adolescents, and corresponding to health-preserving technology recommendations," explained Natalya Barsukova, Associate Professor at the Higher School of Food Production Biotechnology and the head of the working group.
Along with the faculty, students actively participated in the collection's creation. As part of the "Fundamentals of Project Activity" course, traditional national and new, original Russian dishes were selected competitively.
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