On June 8, the Reception House of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a gala themed reception Taste of Siberia attended by heads and members of diplomatic missions of more than 40 countries. Ahead of Russia Day, GlavUpDK under the MFA of Russia supported by the Gastronomic Map of Russia national project presented unique gastronomic and cultural traditions of Siberian regions to foreign diplomats. Mikhail Lomonosov mentioned Siberian inexhaustible riches in his famous saying, “Russia’s power will grow with Siberia.”

The reception was supported by such Russian regions as the Altai Republic, Altai Territory, Republic of Buryatia, Irkutsk Region, Kemerovo Region, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Novosibirsk Region, Omsk Region, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Republic of Khakassia, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Area.

Guests listened to pleasant Russian folk songs performed by singer from Kemerovo Olga Larionova and multi-instrumentalist Andrey Usikov. The Buin-Khan ethnic show directed by Erzhena Buyantueva added ethnic color to the event.

Welcoming the guests, Vyacheslav Fatin, Acting Head of GlavUpDK under the MFA of Russia, noted that GlavUpDK continues successful cooperation with the Gastronomic Map of Russia and presents a variety of Russian cuisine tastes to foreign diplomatic corps. “Today we would like to introduce you to multifaceted, authentic and vast Siberia. The diplomatic corps knows little about this region, and we are trying to fill the gap.”

Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova thanked the Gastronomic Map of Russia team for their important work in promoting Russian cuisine, which is an integral part of the richest Russian culture.

Ekaterina Shapovalova, Project Manager of the Gastronomic Map of Russia, has introduced participants of the Taste of Siberia reception, including chefs of the best restaurants and managers of food companies, to foreign and Russian guests. She emphasized that all of them are true connoisseurs of local natural foods and enthusiasts of Siberian cuisine, which guests can try today.   

The official part of the reception ended with a performance by Maria Andreeva, a virtuoso young violinist and pianist, prize winner of international contests, a talented graduate of the Sirius Educational Center, which became a wonderful musical surprise for the guests.

The buffet menu has become a real gastronomic journey through the richest world of Siberian flora and fauna. The guests enjoyed delicious Lena broad whitefish stroganina (sliced frozen fish) prepared by Nikolay Atlasov, brand chef and owner of Atlasov Estate Ethno Resort (Yakutsk), and nelma indigirka (fish salad) presented by Semen Tarbakhov, chef of the Muus-Khaya restaurant. Azbuka Severa, a company based in Yakutia, invited the guests to try whitefish, trout and pike caviar, grayling sugudai (raw fish pieces), cold-smoked muksun, nelma and whitefish balyks (salted and dried soft parts of fish) and dry-cured wild yak and roe deer meat and yukola (dried venison). Vladimir Bragin, chef of the Zaboy mining restaurant in Kemerovo presented the unique “black lard” with fried fern and Siberian wild garlic. The guests tried Altai maral meat and sausage with pine nuts from the Altai Republic and tender Coregonus tugun (salmon family) from the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Area. 

They also tasted exquisite marbled beef tartare with marinated wild garlic and beef stew with aromatic herbs prepared by the Druzhba cooperative from the Altai Territory. The Specialist family business from the same region presented cedar, linseed and hemp oils, flaxseed chips and other healthy foods at the reception. Eduard Khvan, chef of the Asia Business Hotel from Abakan (Republic of Khakassia), treated foreign and Russian guests to lightly salted Sayan trout, fern salad and talqan candies. The Tasty Taiga company from the Krasnoyarsk Territory offering Siberian wild herb products brought cedar, rowan, lingonberry and sea buckthorn jams, herbal preparations and aromatic Altai tea to the reception. The guests really enjoyed delicious pirozhki, rasstegai and coulibiac (Russian pies) presented by Dmitry Kvanchiani, managing director of the Ruski Moscow-based famous restaurant. They also treated themselves to BAIKAL 430, natural mineral water from Irkutsk. Moreover, Igor Kekhter, explorer of Russian cuisine, collector and founder of the Museum of Russian National Drinks, presented a collection of Russian Alphabet tinctures with each letter corresponding to a unique flavor.

The abundance and variety of dishes as well as the truly Siberian hospitality of the reception organizers allowed the numerous guests to gain the most rewarding experience and awakened their interest in visiting the rich, attractive and curious region.