Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
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Egor Ivanov and Ekaterina Romanova, students of the Institute of Secondary Vocational Education at SPbPU, won the 5th St. Petersburg Governor's Cup "Best Junior of St. Petersburg Cuisine 2025."
Professional chefs and students (juniors) from St. Petersburg, Moscow, Orenburg, and Kostroma participated in the anniversary Governor's Cup.
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University was represented by students from the Institute of Secondary Vocational Education, Yegor Ivanov and Ekaterina Romanova. They demonstrated excellent professional preparation and determination in a thrilling competition.
The competition task involved preparing "Novomikhaylovsky cutlets" and a dessert—two dishes from St. Petersburg cuisine, served in a restaurant setting, using recipes from 19th-century cookbooks. One of the requirements was to use a specific list of ingredients, such as chicken and fresh lemons.
The competition jury consisted of leading chefs, restaurateurs, and recognized experts in the culinary arts and hospitality industry from St. Petersburg and other regions of Russia. Among the jury members were ISPO teacher Tatyana Tsvetkova — expert of the "St. Petersburg Cuisine" project and curator of the St. Petersburg Museum of the History of Public Catering.
Our talented juniors presented a set of dishes called "Merchant's Expanse." To prepare the main course, "Novomikhaylovsky cutlets with mashed potatoes, wine apples on a cheese bed, and creamy mushroom sauce," we adapted Pelageya Alexandrova-Ignatyeva's recipe from the book "Practical Foundations of Culinary Art." The chicken was chopped using a food processor rather than by hand, the cutlets were baked in a combi-oven, and served as a side dish: mashed potatoes with sautéed onions garnished with olives; apples poached in dry red wine with sugar; cheese mousse with fresh dill; choux pastry chips; and a creamy mushroom sauce made from dried porcini mushroom powder.
The "Catherine's Ring" dessert was based on Ignatius Radetsky's recipe for "Viennese Sponge Cake" from the book "St. Petersburg Cuisine." It was complemented with a ring of mango mousse, frozen in a blast freezer, strawberry sauce, and mascarpone cream for a delicate touch. It was garnished with mint leaves, blueberries, and dragon fruit cubes, representing the dice on the merchants' tables.
The jury praised the originality of the concept and execution. As a result, Yegor and Ekaterina became winners of the 5th St. Petersburg Governor's Cup "Best Junior of St. Petersburg Cuisine – 2025."
Egor Ivanov shared his impressions of the competition with us: "I'd like to commend the top-notch organization. It was very important for me to participate in the Governor's Cup final, as our institute is actively developing "St. Petersburg cuisine." The path to victory was very challenging: passing an internal selection process, searching for and refining historical recipes numerous times. My greatest thanks go to my assistant, Ekaterina Romanova, as well as the entire coaching staff for their collaboration, and to the students, faculty, and my family for their help and support.
Teacher Anna Selifontova and mentor Alexander Kulgin organized and prepared the students for the competition. They made a significant personal contribution and demonstrated exceptional skill during training and in developing the competition dishes. The institute also thanks Tatyana Pishtokova, Head of the Department of Catering, Economics, and Service, for the opportunity for students to prepare for and participate in professional skills competitions, and Nikita Baklanov, a student, for his assistance in organizing and assembling the team.
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