moscow.ru

chef

Chef Konstantin Fokin of Prospekt Vernadskogo’s Vapiano sat down with element to discuss the finer points of Italian cuisine, Lenten pasta, proper desserts and fishing technique.

I have always loved cooking, ever since I was young. As a chef you have the ability to progress up through the ranks from a sous-chef to a chef de partie to eventually becoming your own boss. A chef is an artist, you need to cook with flair, be creative, innovative and put your heart and soul into it. I started working as a chef in the Aerostar hotel. I worked there for seven years with many different nationalities and learned a lot about international cooking methods. I have been working for the Vapiano chain for two years and we opened this restaurant this past January.

Do you think there are similarities between Russian and Italian cooking?

Russian and Italian cuisines are quite similar. Both appreciate fresh, seasonal, authentic ingredients. We import Italian ingredients for the restaurant and employ traditional methods and I think our customers appreciate that. Russians love pasta and pizza, we have slightly modified our pasta here to Russian culture, for those who are observing Lent we can prepare egg-free pasta.

If you had to choose just one type of food to bring to a desert island what would you choose?

Just one? I think if I had to pick just one type of food to take with me to a desert island it would have to be veal, it’s my favourite type of meat; I could cook it over a fire. My favourite dessert is proper creme brulee with fresh seasonal berries. I trained under a German chef who taught me the importance of making a good dessert to end a meal. Could I bring a fishing rod as well to catch some fish?

As a Muscovite working as a chef in an Italian restaurant, if you had to make the difficult choice, which would you choose, vodka or wine?

It really depends on the occasion, Russian vodka is perfect for drinking at home with friends but if I am dining out I will almost always order wine to go with my meal. There are so many different types to choose from and I always think that it is important to drink the correct wine with different types of food to complement them.

As a chef, do you feel that the threat of avian flu will affect your choices relating to your menu here?

At the moment I’m not worried, all of our poultry comes from certified factories that haven’t been affected by the disease. But of course, if the problem becomes an epidemic, we will reconsider including poultry on our menu.

Maslenitsa Bliny

Tom Yum Soup

avocado tartare and crab

Trapani Fish Couscous