Lurii Kovryzhenko: New chef in our network of culinary experts !
“There have been new waves in French, Nordic and Spanish cuisine, but in Ukraine, people have been eating very much the same type of food that they grew up with."
A warm welcome to Ukrainian chef Lurii Kovryzhenko in the International network of CHEFS’ by Lise Timmer!
Ukrainian cuisine has largely stayed in a bubble that dates back to the Soviet Union era. With dishes such as thick and velvety borscht soup that is brewed with beetroot and tomatoes, lard-clogged banosh and holubtsi (boiled cabbage rolls), it has gained a reputation for being heavy, and high in fat.
However, Ukrainian chef Iurii Kovryzhenko is working hard to alter the cuisine’s stodgy image. Kovryzhenko, who is a well-known food ambassador in Ukraine, has worked in the dining scene for more than two decades.
“There have been new waves in French, Nordic and Spanish cuisine, but in Ukraine, people have been eating very much the same type of food that they grew up with. Culinary schools in Ukraine are mostly old-school, so we must give young chefs an interesting future to look forward to.”
Kovryzhenko is tapping on his unique background as a former sculptor and miniaturist to usher in a fresh wave of change in the Ukrainian culinary scene. Equipped with a background in French cuisine — he studied at renowned culinary schools Le Cordon Bleu and Ferrandi, both in Paris, and has a special interest in fleur cuisine, which centre around the use of edible flowers to add colours and flavours to dishes.
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