Ukrainian chef and restaurateur Yevhen Klopotenko has been recognized as one of the most promising leaders in the world of gastronomy.
Klopotenko entered 50 Next, a global list of 50 people under 35 who are shaping the future of gastronomy. It was put together by 50 Best, the organization behind two famous awards, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars.
Published on April 20, the list is divided into seven categories, including Gamechanging Producers, Hospitality Pioneers, Trailblazing Activists and more.
The 34-year-old Ukrainian is featured in the Empowering Educators category, celebrating the “creative minds transforming society through food-led learning and development.”
“I cried when I found out,” Klopotenko wrote on Instagram. “Then I drank some sparkling wine.”
After winning Ukraine’s “MasterChef” TV show in 2015, Klopotenko studied at one of the world’s most prestigious culinary schools, Le Cordon Bleu in France. He later launched a project in Ukraine dedicated to making the menu at school cafeterias healthier and more versatile.
But he is mostly known for his bold experiments with food. The co-owner and the brand chef of 100 Rokiv Tomu Vpered (100 Years Ahead), Klopotenko tries to combine the incompatible in order to revive authentic Ukrainian cuisine in his restaurant.
He has modernized traditional Ukrainian dishes at his restaurant, which serves a bee snack with peanuts and honey, purple cabbage with pine cones and an authentic Ukrainian dish called paliushky, which consists of tender roasted mashed potatoes with sorrel and lemon sauce.
Thanks to Klopotenko’s initiative, Ukraine recognized borshch, a world-famous beetroot soup, as a local intangible cultural heritage. He is now advocating that borshch is included in the same list by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO.
All of that earned Klopotenko a place in the 50 Next, making him the first Ukrainian to enter the list.
“He has made major inroads through his work revolutionizing school catering and educating people on local cuisine through articles, videos and books, but he won’t stop until the world recognizes his country’s culinary power,” reads Klopotenko’s profile on 50 Next.
According to Klopotenko, the people behind the list contacted him, asking to fill out the application form to participate.
“This means that everyone who is professionally engaged in gastronomy knows about Ukraine,” Klopotenko wrote on Instagram. “My team and I were really able to draw the world’s attention to our country.”
According to Klopotenko, his next goal is to enter the World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking and to “make Ukrainian cuisine one of the most popular in the world.”
Read more: Restaurateur tries to revolutionize Ukrainian food culture
The 50 Next is not a ranking. It was launched this year to be published annually and inspire, empower and connect the leaders in the gastronomic industry.
The winners were selected by the experts from the Basque Culinary Center, a foundation for culinary training, research and innovation in Spain. The list features people from 34 countries including producers, educators, tech creators and activists.
