If a cultural outing to a theatre starts from the checkroom, then the outdoor picnic is just impossible without hot cereal. The Feldman Ecopark treats everyone free of charge with it, or, to be more precise, with its specialty – “kulish.” Over 500 helpings of this flavoured, tasty and nutritious Ukrainian dish are waiting for its gourmets every weekend. It is cooked by a chef of the eco-food restaurant Filin, Ivan Starodub. Our next story is about him.
Ivan concerns himself with cookery from the childhood. It is his mission to give a feast of taste to people.
“The first person who was given a dish prepared by me was my mother. She tasted it, appraised and said ‘keep it up!’ because it is a good business for a boy. So, that’s how I’ve chosen my future profession,” Ivan tells. “After the school, I graduated from the Kharkiv State University of Food Technology and Trade with speciality technologist. I worked as a chef in various luxury restaurants during over 8 years. Since this March, I am the chief cook in the Feldman Ecopark. I give beauty, taste and flower to people.”
The profession of a cook, according to the words of Ivan Starodub, is not the most difficult one, but it requires constant self-education and creative approach.
“It is necessary to develop, to apply new technologies in cooking, to be able to combine knowledge, skills and fantasy in one dish – a tasty and beautiful one – because aesthetics of a recipe is as much important as, for example, caloricity. As a matter of fact, cookery is not a craft, it is an art. And each chef, each cook strives to create his or her own masterpiece,” Ivan considers.
Feldman Ecopark provides Ivan with the opportunity to practice in the art of tasty cooking every day. There are a lot of visitors, young and old, and it is necessary to please everyone.
“I also try to have individual approach to any dish. Each of them must have it own unique zest. I am currently interested in Confit, and I have already launched one dish in the Filin restaurant – Confit goose legs – cooked according to own fiery recipe. I invite everyone to taste it. But my favourite food from the childhood is common home-style fried potatoes,” the chef confesses.
After cooking various elegant eco-foods, after cooking flavoured hot cereal for all visitors of the Feldman Ecopark on weekends, Ivan Starodub also likes to cook culinary masterpieces for his wife and little daughter at home. After all, what may be better than give own works of art to dear people. Especially, when it is a tasty works of art.
Bon appétit!
