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Chef Klopotenko's Culinary War Effort
Ukrainian chef Yevhen Klopotenko uses his cooking and new cookbook to preserve Ukrainian culture amidst war.
English
United States
Russia Ukraine WarUkraineWarCultureFoodCooking
UnescoNpr
Yevhen KlopotenkoAntony BlinkenJoanna KakissisScott Simon
- How does Chef Klopotenko use cooking to cope with the war and preserve Ukrainian culture?
- Yevhen Klopotenko, a Ukrainian chef, uses cooking as a way to cope with the war and preserve Ukrainian culture. His new cookbook, "The Authentic Ukrainian Kitchen," shares Ukrainian recipes with the world.
- What is the main objective of Klopotenko's new cookbook, and what kinds of recipes does it include?
- Klopotenko's cookbook aims to share Ukrainian culture through its food. It features recipes like vegetarian borscht with plum butter, stuffed buns, and cheesecakes, representing diverse aspects of Ukrainian cuisine.
- What is Klopotenko's view on the borscht ice cream novelty, and what overall message does he convey regarding Ukrainian food?
- While borscht ice cream was a novelty creation to raise funds, Klopotenko highlights the importance of preserving and promoting traditional Ukrainian dishes, demonstrating the cultural significance of food during wartime.
- What role did Klopotenko's restaurant play during the early stages of the invasion, and what other initiatives did he undertake?
- Klopotenko's restaurant in Kyiv doubled as a bomb shelter during the early days of the invasion, and he later opened a pop-up diner in Lviv to feed those fleeing conflict. His YouTube channel provides cooking tutorials to Ukrainians and has almost half a million subscribers.
- What is the significance of borscht being added to UNESCO's cultural heritage list, and how does this relate to Klopotenko's work?
- Klopotenko's efforts to promote Ukrainian cuisine have led to borscht, a traditional beet stew, being added to UNESCO's cultural heritage list. He views this as part of a larger effort to decolonize Ukrainian culture.