The Krakow Capital Menu and the city's culinary heritage
- Let's be proud of our history and excellent regional produce - said chef Adam Chrząstowski during a meeting with Krakow restaurateurs where he encourage them to prepare the special Krakow Capital Menus as part of the European Capital of Gastronomic Culture 2019.
The Krakow Capital Menu is an original idea of chef Adam Chrząstowski. Throughout the years Chrząstowski has taught various tricks of the trade to Krakow's chefs and cooks. Now he has decided to get more involved in promoting Krakow's culinary heritage. - Culinary heritage for me is primarily about local produce and how it is used in historical recipes; secondly how other cultures influence ours, and finally it’s about our family stories and upbringing. Chefs brought up in Poland will always have this innate element that is linked to their birth place - said Adam Chrząstowski, adding that he was delighted to see after years of fascination with foreign cuisines that Krakowians have rediscovered what is available locally and have become proud of what constitutes their identity. - The fact that Krakow was granted the title of the European Capital of Gastronomic Culture 2019 is a great opportunity to promote local cuisine. My idea for promoting what’s local are the Krakow Capital Menus - added Chrząstowski.
The Krakow Capital Menu is an idea for restaurateurs who from May to December would like to serve dishes inspired by Krakow’s culinary heritage. Participating restaurants can count on extensive promotion via traditional and online media. - We hope that Krakow restaurateurs who decide to take part in the project and get involved in other ideas that are in the pipeline, will proudly use the logo of the ESKG 2019 and contribute to the promotion of this year's celebration of Krakow gastronomy - said Elżbieta Kantor, director of the Tourism Department in the Municipality of Krakow.
Adam Chrząstowski presented the city's rich history spanning from the Middle Ages until today, focusing on those dishes and products that can inspire chefs to create the special menus. He told the restaurateurs about borscht, groats, tripe and pâtés. - I want these menus to be based on Polish cuisine and tradition, with a special focus on local produce. This project is close to my heart because for years I have been trying to reinforce a sense of pride in our tradition. I am happy that we still have a lot of restaurants in Krakow where you can sample dishes that tell the story of our heritage. Let's ensure it stays that way! - said Chrząstowski.
