Moscow Restaurateurs Visit Volgograd for Sturgeon and Kiev Cutlets

Volgograd was featured in another episode of the popular gastronomic travel show «Geography of Russia.» A group of well-known restaurateurs specially arrived in the city not only to see the main sights from above and on the ground but also to eat heartily.

As stated in the project description, «Geography of Russia» is a travel show about Russian cuisine and the country. In the episodes, bloggers travel to various regions where they sample unique local dishes. At the start of the fourth season, employees from a Moscow restaurant chain came to Volgograd: chef Ruslan Parshenkov, head of communications at Chaykhony No. 1 Elena Popova, and brand chef Alexander Volkov-Medvedev.

The restaurateurs preferred to explore Volgograd, not forgetting to snack as well as have full meals at key spots, starting from the southernmost district — Krasnoarmeysky. There, they thoroughly studied the production technology of mustard oil, and then had a snack at a shashlik restaurant located in a Yak-40 airplane.

They also did not miss tasting traditional Volgograd fast food — Kiev cutlets, as well as one of its variations — Volgograd cutlets.

— Why are we eating Kiev cutlets specifically in Volgograd? — Elena Popova wonders.

— Because they say they are the most standard here. I don«t know which is which, because we have one Kiev cutlet and the other — Volgograd cutlet. Do you know what the difference is? — asks Alexander.

— No.

— Kiev — with butter, Volgograd — with cheese.

— So, both will leak anyway.

— Well, what«s the verdict, Lena? When you come to Volgograd — do you need to try the »Kiev« cutlet?

— Yes, but only with butter.

During the show, the restaurateurs assessed German cuisine at «Staraya Sarepta,» and then moved to the Central District, where they walked around the main sights. After taking a boat ride on the Volga, they proceeded to another significant point in the city — a sturgeon factory near the Volga Hydroelectric Station.

— Do you have a full cycle here? So, they grow here from fry to mature adults.

— Yes, with each year our production will only increase.

— Can«t wait to see how it all looks.

— Of course, let«s go. Here we have a crossbred species — the bester. This is a breed developed by us for meat. The average weight is about 6–7 kg, age 7–8 years.

— So, here we have a kindergarten?

— Yes, this is the maternity ward. In each tray, we place a kilogram of already fertilized eggs. After just 10 days, they gather in a school. Then they scatter, and we start feeding them. And then, when they reach 10 g in each pool, we transfer them to cages.

Currently, we have females here, 15 in each pool. This is the fourth stage for eggs. That is, they are ready to mature tomorrow. Today, we gave them a hormonal injection in the morning to stimulate childbirth. And within 24 hours, we will take each one out and see if it gives eggs or not. Next, we transfer to the table for obtaining and milk the eggs. After that, we transport the eggs to our production workshop. There we prepare it, thaw it, and then it goes to our client.

After walking around the sturgeon farm, the restaurateurs released a fry into the Volga, without even asking if it wanted to voluntarily leave the safe farm. Then they proceeded to sandwiches, not forgetting to remind each other that it is necessary to force oneself to regularly eat black caviar for tone and health. However, by the end of the show, they moved on to more common local dishes, like herring with potatoes in one of the large restaurants on the Central Embankment.

Earlier we wrote about how a major food blogger from St. Petersburg, Alexey Morozov, also known as Grillkov, visited many establishments in Volgograd based on followers« advice. Street food was not left without attention and tasting, including fast-food stalls and the oldest dumpling shop in Volgograd on Chuykov Street.