W e ha ve only fres h a nd s a v o r y n e w s!
March 2014 | № 03 (126) Do not miss: March 22 —
Birthday of Korchma in Krasnokazarmennaya Street March 25 —
Birthday of Korchma in Petrovka Street
Project manager – Yuri Beloyvan
in
ruk_proekta@tarasbulba.ru
w
ra
ia
korchma@tarasbulba.ru
ith
Uk
lov
e
More news and photos at www.tarasbulba.us
e nc d a uisine – m
Jason Flemyng Maybe I was Russian in my former life…
15 years of success
Korchma
‘Taras Bulba’ celebrates its Birthday! Good news for the gourmets! In March your favorite chain of Ukrainian restaurants Korchma ‘Taras Bulba’ celebrates its 15th anniversary. On our Birthday we not just receive but also give out presents. Our motto: 15 years – 25th of March – 15% off to each guest.
Serhiy Prytula: You’re going to laugh, but I am not a big fan of salo
Exotic Collection: Indian Conch Shell, Wooden Drymba and Corn Violin…
Taras Shevchenko: the 200th anniversary of the birth of the genius’
DELIVERY OF HOMEMADE UKRAINIAN FOOD AND HOTLINE
www.tarasbulba.us
(212) 510-75-10
6+
2 | guest
Impressive settings, uneclipsed actors’ performances, and box office records – this is what accompanied the triumph of the highly anticipated new version of the film Viy. That the film was highly successful is proved by the fact that in Russia Oleg Stepchenko’s picture became the first multi-million film in 2014 and left the new Leodardo di Caprio film The Wolf of Wall Street far behind. As an official media partner of the film, BulbaNEWS have already written about various curious facts and anecdotes from the set. Now we offer you an exclusive interview with a viewers’ favorite: world renowned actor Jason Flemyng who played the part of cartographer Green.
Jason Flemyng:
Maybe I was Russian in my former life … – Jason, how did your work with the producers of Viy start? It is the first Russian film you agreed to play in. Quoting Don Corleone, the producers must have made you an offer you couldn’t refuse? – They must have. It was the time when I finished filming Benjamin Button. I was probably an actor, and an Englishman to that, at the peak of his fame. That’s how we started filming Viy. Then money trouble happened, and so the producer, whom I personally adore and admire, decided to re-film the thing in 3D with a completely new approach. That’s when I became really involved in the filming process. Earlier, we had already filmed a small part, but then we remade everything with the producer’s new vision. They just wanted to make the best film possible. We filmed for over seven years, dropped it, and came back to it, made pauses and resumed filming again… Fortunately, I didn’t stop, they didn’t stop, and now we have a film we can be proud about. – How did they find you in the first place? – As did everyone else, through my agent. Frankly, I think of myself as a lucky person. I played in 94 films, so for me to get really interested in the part, I need to hear something absolutely new and different from what I’ve already done. When they told me they wanted me, and English speaker, to play in a Russian picture to be filmed in Russia and in Europe, I immediately agreed: “It sounds damn tempting!”
– Have no doubt about it! No other country was as welcoming as Russia and I am very grateful for it. We are now talking about making Viy-2 and there is nothing else I would rather do than this.
– There used to be rumors that the film would be promoted abroad by Brad Pitt… Is this true?
– You must have made friends with other actors on the set?
– Jason Statham is already very much into this film, he posted his comments on the Internet about how much he liked it. I haven’t yet given a copy to Brad, but he’s a good friend of mine and I know he would support anything I do.
– But of course… With Chadov, with Agnia!!! To be fair – with everyone on the set… It was an unforgettable experience. You need to understand that when you make a film for seven years, you spend a whole lot of time together. I never spent such a long period of time with the same actors, and it was very memorable.
– Let’s talk about something else. You were impressed, as many other Europeans, by the breadth of the Russian soul. You said that the time you spent with the Russians was unforgettable. Is it really so?
– Was it difficult for you to speak Russian to people? You said nobody was speaking English. – Yeah, my Russian is very poor. But I tried. If you watch the film you will see I managed it quite well. The film earned 14 million dollars at box offices, which means my Russian is not so bad and people could understand me.
– I visited Russia when I was a student at the Moscow Theater of Culture, in the late 80s and early 90s. So my coming to Moscow was a return. I brought my mother with me, she always dreamed of going to the Bolshoi Theater. All we got from the Russians was love and warm feelings, and now I’m watching the Olympics and I don’t know who I should support: the English team or the Russian? Yes, that’s right, just as we are speaking with you I am watching the England-Russia curling game and I’m not completely sure who I want to win!
– Yes, I can understand a little. I can say (speaks with a funny accent): “Excuse me, can you give me a light?”
– That’s so great! Does it mean that Russia made a big impression on you?
– Was it difficult for the actor from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch to adapt to
– Can you understand Russian or nothing at all?
playing in the film where adventure, mysticism, and love are interwoven? – I have played in many films in my 25-year career. Just look at my filmography on imbd. com and you will see that I performed in different genres. This wasn’t anything new for me. What was new for me was working with Russian actors and Russian directors. It disappointed me not a bit, I was enjoying my every moment on the set. – It’s nice to hear that. – But this is true. First, they pay better, second, it’s so much fun to be around them. – Have you read anything else by Gogol who wrote Viy? – Yes, I did and I liked it very much. – Do you like any other Russian classics? – When I was young, the first Russian book I read was One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich. Solzhenitsyn initiated me into Russian literature. Later I studies Chekhov when I played in MHAT. Plays by Gogol. I also read Crime and Punishment. Like any other young punk I thought “Wow! This is fantastic! I want to read all the other Russian books!” But it stopped there, reading all the other Russian books turned out too difficult.
guest | 3
– What will be your next project after Viy? Or will you take a break from filming? – No, no, I never take a break from filming. I have two twin sons, they are 2.5 years old, so I continue to work. I just finished filming in a French movie, where I spoke French. So there was Russian, now French… It was a film about Coco Chanel nominated for Oscar. Then I performed in the film Elisa Graves. We are also making a new show for BBC in Brussels. – Which world famous directors would you like to work with? – I would love to play for David Sant, he is my favorite director in the whole world… I am inspired by Martin Scorcese. But if the script is good I will work with any director. – You are still very young, you whole career is before you! – I just love you for such words! – Can we go back to Russia? What in particular did you like best from its local life and culture? – I am not exactly a spring chicken, and my views on culture and life are old, the Russian culture entered my life when I was 10 or 11. I first read Staniskavsky’s Work on the Self, it affected me so much for the rest of my life. The place where I grew up was saturated with love to the former Soviet Union. That’s why on my first visit to Moscow I went to see the Revolution Square, visited Lenin’s monument… It was all very important to me even though I understand how old-fashioned it must sound. Russian culture always influenced my life, I always felt emotionally close to Russians. Now more than ever. – Maybe you were Russian in a former life? – Yes, quite possible! And if not, I will be Russian in my next life! – Have you tried the legendary moonshine?
THE BEST UKRAINIAN CUISINE OF KIEV
– What? Vodka?
Welcome to Korchma in Kiev!
– Yes. – O, I drink it every day! Every day! (he laughs) We drank it every day for seven years! – You must have consumed a lot of it in Russia? – Not really, we were busy most of the time. But there were times when we had a drink, that’s right. One night, Chadov and I got very drunk… And that’s all you’re gonna get from me (he laughs).
A free tour of Kiev after lunch in Korchma!
– To finish it up, what would you wish our readers? – What kind of magazine is it? – It’s the newspaper of the Ukrainian restaurant chain Korchma Taras Bulba. – Come see me in theaters, have a nice meal and a drink. And remember that life is too short to drink bad vodka! Text: Aleksandra Gulova
Kiev, Pushkinskaya Street 2-4/7 Phone: +38 (044) 270-7248, +38 (093) 342-3868
4 | interview
“If you want to describe my life in a nutshell, I would quote one of the TNMK’s songs: ‘Once I lived, wasn’t prosecuted, and didn’t serve in the army…’ To elaborate, I spent my childhood in Vyshnivka, school years in Zbarazh, college years in Ternopil, spent some time in London, and now I live and work in Kyiv. I do my favorite job, I bring up a son. I planted trees, but I’m not building a house because I prefer flats.” This is what Serhiy Prytula modestly says about himself. In Ukraine, he is known as one of the most asked-for entertainment presenters. He worked on the radio, was a ComedyclubUA member. Now he is preparing new TV shows. He shared his plans with Bulba NEWS.
Serhiy Prytula:
You’re going to laugh, but I am not a big fan of salo – Serhiy, you are a showman, a popular TV presenter, an actor, a writer, and finally, a comedian. How would you characterize yourself? – I don’t like the word “showman,” it’s ambiguous. Most of our Verkhovna Rada’s parliamentarians and government officials are showmen. But their show isn’t funny. At present, I work on television, I’m a TV presenter and develop my own comedy show called Varyaty. So, I could be called both a humorist and a stand-up comedian… I really don’t care so much about this. – You’ve mentioned your own comedy show Varyaty. From the time when you were a member of ComedyclubUA, you’ve had, and still have, the image of a sarcastic critic. Are you consciously supporting and developing this image? – Image is nothing – and the truth is above all! I don’t invent anything when I talk with people, being on the stage. I just think that it’s important to call a spade a spade. If a person’s work or behavior doesn’t correspond to their posts and occupations, why not mock them? That’s why I call priests managers of The Church Inc. I hope there is no need to explain this. If you don’t understand, then when you happen to be in Kyiv, visit the Lavra and look at their cars. There, in the parking lot, you will see the annual budget of one of the Ukrainian regions (he laughs).
Did you know…? The opera singer Enrico Caruso was an Italian tenor, but his voice could vary within a very wide range. Once, during the performance of Puccini’s La bohème, a bass singer turned toward him and whispered that he lost his voice. Caruso told him to just open his mouth and he performed the whole aria by himself with his back turned to the audience. Almost nobody from the audience noticed the trick.
Each time before sitting at the table and starting to compose music, Beethoven dipped his head in a basin with the ice-cold water. This became such an important part of his habitual routine that the composer couldn’t give it up until his death.
interview | 5
– Rumor has it that you are an ardent nationalist … – Rumor has it that some brutes have driven the situation to the absurdity. When you declare that you love Ukraine, speak Ukrainian, demand governors who live on your taxes to work within the law and so on, you automatically become an ardent nationalist with everything related to this. Propaganda and mass media substitute concepts. A “nationalist,” a person who loves his own without denying someone else’s, is suddenly called a “Nazi.” I think I’m a Ukrainian nationalist, and believe me, very often I want to spit into the eyes of the politicians who call people like me fascists. Am I called a fascist, whose grandfather in the Red Army’s ranks marched to Vienna, was awarded an order and a medal?
for sure. Besides, I’m sure that no one in my family can fry potatoes as I can (this is the result of my college years). Although most of all I am proud of my own invention which I call “Ukrainian Caprese.” Once I came home from work and decided to whip up something light. I took mozzarella, started looking for tomatoes. Didn’t find any. And then I noticed the plate with boiled beetroot. I thought: why not? And now I have a new recipe: take one boiled beetroot, slice it, place a slice of mozzarella over it as well as a leaf of mint or basil, and then drizzle it with balsamic or pesto sauce. Bon appetite! – Since early youth you’ve been an active member of nongovernmental organizations. Have you ever thought about starting your own political organization or at least of seriously engaging in politics?
– Will you visit our restaurant, when you happen to be in Russia? – Sure! I have my own tourist ethics. When I travel abroad, I always try to find and visit a Ukrainian restaurant. It’s very important for me to spend some money at the restaurants that promote Ukrainian culture. Those are Kozachok in Tbilisi, Borsch in Vilnius, Vodohray in Saint Petersburg, and many others in western Europe and the USA. Unfortunately, I don’t remember all of them. I’m sure that Taras Bulba will be on the top of those restaurants’ list. – What dish do you order first of all, when you visit such restaurants? – It will take lots of time to list them. I hate eggs and so all the salads or dishes with raw, boiled, or fried eggs I don’t eat. The same with herring and sour cream. You’re going to laugh, but I don’t like salo either. Yes, I’m not a typical Ukrainian. Thus I eat borsch without sour cream, varenyky only with fried onions, thank God, khrenivka (horseradish-infused vodka) can’t be spoiled with anything (he laughs). – Do you prepare any specialties to serve to your family and guests?
– I don’t have a lot of money to be engaged in politics. Even in the opposition there are very few people with whom I would like to spend my time with. It’s a pity that the Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi doesn’t hurry to scale political heights at the national level. For the last seven years this man has turned Lviv into a real European city. Go there and just try to rent an apartment – the city is overwhelmed with tourists. This person is very persistent and doesn’t waste words. It’s a rare feature. – What are you working on now? – I’m writing a summary of a book by Ukrainian author Maks Kidruk. A few years ago I was searching for a volunteer who would dare to fly to New Zealand and take revenge for the dignity of all the Ukrainian girls that was offended by a local radio presenter. I opted for Maks since I knew him at that time and I knew his adventurous nature. It’s so pleasant that my initiative and his talent found expression in a book that is just hitting book shops. Now I’m preparing together with Olga Freimut a new season of the TV show Who’s on Top, and with Sashko Pedan the PedanPrytula Show. And in the meantime I continue to tour with the Varyaty show.
– It’s best for me to stay away from the kitchen. The list of my competences there is miserable. So I’m rather dead weight in those square meters than a helper. However, I can braise a tasty chicken with champignons. That’s
Text: Oksana Hnatyshyn Photo: Yuriy Helytovych
Serhiy Prytula’s Ukrainian Caprese: Serves 4: 2 beetroots 250 g of mozzarella cheese Mint, basil Olive oil Dressings: balsamic, pesto Boil beetroot, cool it, and then slice it. On a plate, place beetroot slices topped with mozzarella slices, basil, and mint. Drizzle with olive oil, and dressings. Bon appetite!
One of the best violinists Joshua Bell agreed to take part in an experiment on January 12, 2007. In the morning, he pretended to be a street musician and played for 45 minutes in a hall of a subway station. Out of the thousands of people who passed by, only seven took interest in his music.
The well-known song “Happy Birthday to You” to this day remains under copyright. It can be performed free of charge at a family or friendly gathering, but it’s necessary to pay a fee to use it commercially, for example, in a film or on a greeting card. The song brings $2 million annually to the company possessing the rights to it.
6 | Travelling
Chernivtsi:
“Chernivtsi is a city where Sunday began with Schubert’s music and ended with a duel. This city, situated halfway between Kyiv and Bucharest, Krakow and Odesa, was the unofficial capital of Europe where the best sopranists took the floor, carriage drivers argued about Karl Kraus, where the sidewalks were swept with rose bouquets, and the number of book shops exceeded the number of coffee shops...” Georg Heinzen, German publicist
The City Whose Streets Were Swept with Roses
Small cozy restaurants, balconies decorated with flowers, centuries-old architecture, and narrow streets that were meant not for a noisy stream of cars, but for the easy pace carriages. When you come to Chernivtsi, in the south-west of Ukraine, you feel as if you are somewhere in the center of Europe. This atmosphere can be attributed not so much to the architecture, constructed during the period of the AustroHungarian Empire, but rather to the culture
and people’s behavior, their way of life. The city, situated on the River Prut, is famous abroad for its former residents: accordion player Yan Tabachnyk, singer Sofia Rotaru, actor Ivan Mykolaychuk, and many others. They brought it worldwide fame. The official history of Chernivtsi started back in 1405. That was the year when it was mentioned in the letters of Alexander, a Moldavian hospodar, called the Good. Of course, the settlement had
existed much earlier than this date. Unfortunately, the original document didn’t remain in the city. Currently, it is kept in the archives of the Russian State Historical Museum. Scholars still argue about the origin of the name of Bukovyna’s capital. Some believe that Chernivtsi originated from the ancient city Chern. It used to lie on the River Prut as well, but on the opposite bank. When in 1259 it was ruined by the Mongolian conqueror
Welcome to our happy team!
We are always happy to welcome young and energetic men and women eager to work hard and to become professionals at what they do. Every focused and enthusiastic employee will get an opportunity for career growth. A unique feature of our HR strategy is to employ not only the experienced professionals, but also young people, which results in an effective team.
Our job openings: Administrator Cook Hostess Cashier Waiter Delivery operator Bartender Doorman We offer: convenient flexible shifts + free meals + social package + career growth + high corporate culture + competitive salary. Requirements: nationals of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, aged 18 to 50. Enthusiasm to work, grow and improve. Human resources department: Moskow, Aeroport metro station, 3 Chernyakhovskogo St. Phone: 8-926-904-41-54, 8-926-461-21-71 resume@tarasbulba.ru
Note! We are now hiring to work in Korchma “Taras Bulba” restaurants in Kyiv and New York.
Travelling | 7
Burundai, the locals moved to the right bank and established another settlement. According to another version, Chernivtsi got its name because of its fortifications, which were made of oak and strengthened with black soil that gave the walls a grayish hue. The township, like many others, repeatedly changed hands between different landlords, several times it was destroyed, and one conqueror was changed by another. First, it was the part of the Ottoman Empire, then Austro-Hungary and Romania. But there is nothing so bad you cannot find something good in it. Because of its history, the capital of Bukovyna has a rich multicultural past, which is evident from many legends. Probably no other city can be so proud of the peaceful coexistence of a great number of different communities: German, Jewish, Polish, Romanian, Russian, and Ukrainian. This history left its trace in the architecture, names of streets and buildings. For example, the oldest fountain in the city is called the Turkish Well. The historic site originates from the times when Chernivtsi was a part of the Ottoman Empire. This fact is featured in a love story. Once a Turkish pasha met a simple Ukrainian girl at the fountain and fell in love with her. He asked her to become one of his wives, but the girl proudly refused. Then the pasha prohibited the townspeople from taking the spring water. The next day, the girl came to the well, but when the Turk approached her, she jumped into the water and drowned. The most fruitful period for Chernivtsi began with the advent of Austrian rule. At that time it received its unofficial name of “Little Paris.” They say the city obtained from Austria not only its exquisite architecture but also its strict laws and European discipline. According to the city’s legends, people wearing dirty shoes were prohibited from walking on certain squares, and what is now Olha Kobylyanska Street was washed with perfume and swept with rose bouquets. Workers responsible for cleaning it were thoroughly selected. Preference was given to educated people with knowledge of foreign languages so that they could speak with foreign tourists about the city. Who knows, maybe it is just a fascinating legend, but we know that there is always a shard of truth in fiction… A flourishing city where writers discussed the latest European publications in clubs and new performances were staged in theaters had no right to be called a dull or boring city. Therefore, it is no surprise that Chernivtsi became known
as cultural capital. Many musicians, artists, and writers dreamed of visiting Bukovyna, especially when it was under Austria. It is known that Ferenc Liszt, the Hungarian composer, gave a concert on the May 24, 1847, in the city on the Prut. However, he had to wait for a week to show off his talent, for this is how long it took the music lovers to reach the city – they came from all corners of the region. As for the city’s architecture, the most outstanding building in Chernivtsi is the Residence of Bukovynian and Dalmatian Metropolitans, which are currently the central buildings of the Yuriy Fedkovych University. In 2011, the residence was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine. Every year thousands of tourists come to Bukovyna to see the masterpiece of the Czech architect Joseph Hlavka. The history of this site goes back to 1864. At that time the Austrian Emperor gave permission to build a new grand residence. Several facts speak for the great scale of the building project. In order to supply workers with all the necessary materials, several quarries and three factories were opened in the outskirts of Chernivtsi. In the first two factories brick was fired, and in the third one tile and building stones were made. Now it could seem unbelievable, but at that time each brick was checked. First, it was checked for uniformity, then for its sound. Though there were plenty of workers, each one was allowed to lay only one hundred bricks per day.
It was done to avoid defects. No wonder that the construction of the residence lasted for eighteen years! At first, Josef Hlavka personally oversaw the process. He went there even when he was ill and had to move around in a wheelchair. The size of the building had no analogues in Bukovyna and cost 1.75 million guldens – an enormous sum of money at that time! The funds came from several sources: the Bukovynian Orthodox Religious Fund and the Ministry of Education of Austro-Hungary. In addition, the local German, Polish, and Jewish societies also donated to the construction. The local Town Hall is one of the main attractions of the city. The idea to construct it appeared in the early 1820s, when the magistrate members declared that they could no longer work in rented apartments. First, they planned to construct the central building in a completely different place – it was supposed to decorate a high cliff over the river. This means it wouldn’t have been in the city center at all, but in the outskirts. The German engineer Adolph Martin was against this and severely criticized the government. Discussions lasted for a long time, but the process of purchasing the title to the land plot was much longer. Finally, the first foundation stone was laid in April 1843… A few gold coins and a message to posterity written on a parchment deed were placed along with this stone. The Town Hall is nearly fifty meters high and is built according to a typical Austrian project. Not only magistrates, but also firemen held their meetings in the building. It also had a special post from where to see what was going on in the city. From the bird’s eye view, all the buildings were in plain sight – the Town Hall was located in an ideal place for this. Today there is one vibrant tradition tied with the building. Every day, at exactly noon, a trumpeter, dressed in folk costume, loudly performs the song “There, on the other bank, lives Marichka…” So, if you want to see this interesting custom with your own eyes, drink aromatic Vienneseor Turkish-style coffee, or walk along the street that once was swept with roses, then you are welcome to Chernivtsi, a beautiful Ukrainian city. Text: Stepan Hrytsiuk Photo: Yuriy Helytovych
8 | Jubilee
When fifteen years ago a Ukrainian national Yuriy Beloyvan was opening his first restaurant in Moscow, he couldn’t have imagined that eventually his idea would be the foundation for a large-scale business project, and that Korchma would outgrow its restaurant status and turn into a sociocultural phenomenon. Now, his company owns eighteen restaurants in Moscow, Kyiv, and New York. The brand covers a publishing house, a marathon club, a newspaper, and since recently a children’s magazine. Everything began with quite a prosaic story… Yuriy Beloyvan, in an interview to Bulba NEWS, talks about the idea as a driving force, secrets of the design, and his personal culinary tastes.
Korchma Taras Bulba:
15 Years of Success The Beginning
Interior Design
When I came back to Kyiv after military service, I was thinking about starting my own business there. I opened a gym but soon went bankrupt. I understood that in Ukraine it was necessary to have either an affluent relative or wealthy parents for this. That’s why I decided to go with my friend to Moscow. There I had a lot of different jobs… You know, we started to feel that there are bosses and we are their slaves. They tell us what to do, how to live and earn money. I probably tried everything. You can read my workbook as a real BOOK! Then I started working at a furniture delivery company. There I received a salary and took a share in the business. I employed my relative who cooked well and prepared Ukrainian lunches for us. The food was so tasty that other people started coming to our office for lunch. In the neighboring building, there was a restaurant. I noticed that cooks didn’t prepare anything exquisite, but there were always a long line of people. I said to my relative: “Let’s open you a small café and you’ll earn money.” And so at the beginning I opened a restaurant not for me, but for somebody else. I launched my first restaurant with a partner and promised my relative a half of my share, which was 25%. After the first earnings, she moved on. But the restaurant was already functioning successfully, and therefore we decided to open one more. So, this is how it all began… As a result, the restaurant Korchma Taras Bulba became my main business.
I myself work on all the decorations and designs. When I opened the first restaurant, I went to Pyrohovo (the Museum of Folk Architecture and Tradition in Kyiv. - editor), but I didn’t like it. Then I went to Pereyaslav, as well to Lviv to visit Shevchenkivskyi Hai. I took some pictures there, then bought furniture and antiques, such as buckets, samovars, and embroidered shirts, and started to decorate the restaurant. Today people say that this looks banal, because Ukraine is already known for its borsch and embroidered shirts, but fifteen years ago all of that was forgotten. People wanted to try world cuisine, like sushi and so on. The Ukrainian restaurants didn’t have a chance to gain a cult status, especially here in Russia. When I decorated the first restaurant I understood that the interior looked really great. When you work with an idea to please your visitors instead of just placing decorations here and there, everything runs smoothly. People think the design comes from an authentic dwelling. However, some consider this kitsch and others say that the interior reminds them of their grandmother’s house in a village. Then I ask: “Who has such paintings and all this stuff in a village? They were lost many years ago.” There is a Museum of Folk Art in Moscow, where people have to pay to view the rarities. But in my restaurant they can see them for free.
Crisis as a Motivation
Origin of the Name and Logo
The first Korchma was actually opened in 1998, but the official start is considered to be in 1999, when we received all the documents. Till that time we worked almost in the shadows. In the 1990s it was possible. The crisis stimulated me to set up my own business, because many restaurants were closed, and the most important thing was that the price of both rents and salaries dropped. Thus we didn’t need a lot of money to open our own restaurant. Now I would rather stay away from a new, unknown business. I don’t understand how people can invest millions of dollars in a restaurant not knowing what to expect. Back then, the project cost fifty thousand dollars. We could venture that sum of money. At that time there was a serious crisis and even rich people didn’t have money to visit expensive establishments. Some stars, businessmen, and politicians came to eat at our restaurant. Even now they visit us, although anonymously, because some people don’t consider Korchma a very trendy place. In Moscow there are some fashionable establishments you can visit and then brag about it, because it will make you look cool.
I had a few ideas concerning the name. One of them was “Taras Bulba.” I don’t remember why I chose it, maybe I read the book by that name around that time. The first logo depicted a man with a cauldron. Then my father-in-law brought Ivan Malkovych’s book (a Ukrainian publisher - editor) and said: “Look, here’s a real Cossack, not the man with varenyky you have hanging there. Taras Bulba has to look like the man in the picture!” I asked him: “Should I pay them for the use of the picture?” He replied: “No, they will be proud that the idea of the book cover is used in Moscow, there’s no need to pay them.” I started thinking: “But this is someone’s work... What can be the price of this picture? Maybe one or two thousand dollars, although the picture is issued for commercial purposes, as a brand, therefore it can cost even five thousand!” Finally I put that amount of money into an envelope. Once the publishing house found out that we used the picture of the Cossack, the angry Ivan Malkovych and the artist Vladyslav Yerko came to my office. They started threatening to sue me. I told them: “Let’s have dinner.” We ate our dinner, drank a bit, and went to my place.
Jubilee | 9
I told them: “There is money in the envelope, how much would you like to get for the picture?” They answered: “Two thousand.” I gave them the envelope and said: “Here you are, I put five thousand away for you…” so that way Taras Bulba became the logo of Korchma.
The Menu Our menu is translated into 36 languages. There are some very interesting languages... For example, Chuvash. Once somebody made the translation, but probably there was no need for it since Chuvashia is a small republic in Russia. However, I think that the menu should be translated into all languages. There’s nothing bad if they stay unused in the cabinet, but it is so pleasant to read a menu in your native language. Though occasionally we receive some complaints about small discrepancies. Once we got such a letter from a Belarusian. He wrote that we messed up his language. My attitude toward this is rather philosophical. Sometimes it happens that in the West translators make mistakes translating something into Ukrainian or Russian. Nevertheless, it is very convenient to read a menu in your native language!
Business Plans In the future I plan to actively develop my business in Russia, because the market dictates our behavior. Here, we are in demand, our restaurants are
always full, thus we stay afloat. As a result, our business here is very profitable. It’s a pity that there are no possibilities for my restaurants to flourish in Ukraine and the USA. However, if business in the USA goes as well as in Russia, of course we’ll open more places. We’ve already received offers from Tokyo and London. This is quite interesting, because we can gain some great experience. Just imagine, when we open Korchma in Tokyo, our visitors will be welcomed by a samurai at the reception…
Personal Culinary Tastes I won’t say that I like cooking, but I can cook. I like simple food. For example, I don’t boil porridge, but just pour boiling water over it and let it stand for twenty minutes. Then I add salt and honey; it’s very delicious. My wife looks at me as I eat it and says: “You’re my sweet horse.” Nevertheless, I can cook borsch, meat, and other dishes. I remember that in the army my friends told me: “You’re from Ukraine, so cook us varenyky!” I knew how to prepare it, but I wrote a letter to my mother asking her to give me the recipe for the dough. At night I rolled it out with a bottle. I prepared varenyky stuffed with potatoes, because it was the only product available. It was 1984, fifteen years before Korchma appeared. If I had been more quick-witted, I would have understood immediately what kind of restaurant I should open. Though, there is a wise saying: “If you don’t hear a whisper of your fate, then you’ll feel thunder.” Text: Stepan Hrytsiuk Photo: Yuriy Helytovych
10 | private collection
Exotic Collection:
Indian Conch Shell, Wooden Drymba, and Corn Violin… Lyubomyr Kushlyk is a well-known Ukrainian musician and collector. No wonder, since he is the owner of the greatest collection of ancient musical instruments in Ukraine. He owns nearly seven hundred of them! Some of his pieces were found in villages or in the collections of musical experts, others are real rarities. These are a children’s violin made of a corn stem, a wooden drymba, and a ritual Indian conch shell. The collector can talk about his treasures for hours on end because each object has its own fascinating story. Lyubomyr Kushlyk shares them with the Bulba NEWS journalists. The First Instrument and Start of the Collection When psychologists research different personality problems, they naturally go back to childhood (he laughs). Mine is a similar case. My father sang in the Trembita choir and I grew up in a musical environment. Hence, from early on I was craving for musical instruments. I painted them and conducted with them as if they were musical toys. I got my first instrument – trembita (alpine horn) – in a rather unusual way. Once, our ethnographic expedition went to the Carpathians, to the Hutsuls. We waited in the village for a musician. He came right after some celebration, a little bit “in high spirits,” and immediately wanted to play the trembita for us. But he failed, because this instrument is a little whimsical. Often, before playing the trembita, players soak it in samohon (moonshine vodka) for the oils in it to close up the holes. I decided to play, and I was better than that Hutsul. He s a i d ,
“That’s it. I’m going to give it to you as a present.” I took the present and paid the family. They didn’t want to take money, and so I sent them some food items that were in short supply in the Carpathians: green peas, pepper… It turned out that I bought enough food to buy two trembitas. This was my first instrument. By the 1990s I had collected only eight or nine instruments. The main collection started to be formed after 1991. At that time, the conservatory opened the first major in ethnomusicology in Ukraine. Somebody had to teach a subject about real folk instruments and I was that somebody. Then I set myself a goal not just to talk about them, but to show them and even let students play on them, so that it would be a
real, not just theoretical work. As a result, I started to collect instruments.
Origin of the Rarities Most of my instruments are bought at my own expense. No more than fifteen instruments were given to me as a present. People gave me really old instruments that didn’t play and served as showpieces. I purposely went to different festivals, hay markets, to the remotest villages. This is how I bought a painted shepherd’s horn. It seems to me that a map of a mountain valley is depicted on it. It was the first time I saw such a thing. People already know about me and often they find me themselves. Sometimes they jack up such the price and I cannot afford to buy what they are selling. For example, several thousands hryvnias. I’m not a rich man, I don’t have a car or a country house, and I cannot pay so much.
private collection | 11
My students gave me several instruments. Among them there is a sacred Indian instrument – the oceanic conch shell. Lamas play it, they greet the sunrise and the New Year with it… It’s white and there are cosmic symbols on it. To be honest, I have no right to hold this conch shell, because for common people there are colorful conch shells, not white ones… It has a very loud sound. Like a train is coming. By the way, a conch shell is played in the film Amphibian Man.
The Instruments’ Migration Same instruments exist in many cultures of the world. For example, our kobza or bandura. It’s considered to be an exclusively Ukrainian instrument, but according to scientific theories they are of Eastern or Western origin. We just made our own version of them and our own repertoire. Thus, for instance, Poles, Czechs, Germans, and Italians also have a violin. It’s all over Europe. That means that instruments migrate.
The Most Unique Exhibits Wooden drymbas (jaw harps) are the most unique instruments. They were made of the yew-tree. They sound much worse than the metal ones. That’s why it is already a historical rarity. I have a corn violin which I searched for for eight years. Once, I found out that there used to be a child’s toy made of corn stems. I set myself a goal to find it at any cost. You know, many years ago I decided to collect first of all folk instruments. After some period of searching I found a woman who said: “I remember those violins, because my grandmother made them for me. Then I made them by myself.” That woman made me a corn violin. She has to renovate them often, because after some time they become so dry that it’s impossible to play them. They play for quite a short period – not more than a week. One man told me that for this toy to play longer, it’s necessary to cover it with saliva and then salt it. This is a kind of conservation (he laughs). It’s embarrassing to say, but without my efforts, Ukrainian culture would lose the children’s corn violin.
– so that he or she will play it. A good specialist doesn’t just play, he or she prolongs the instrument’s life.
Symbols and Superstitions
Academic musicians don’t understand a lot of things. They are focused only on artistic and aesthetic value and don’t take into account extramusical factors. Very often the sound is not the primary factor in the instruments – their magical, sacral, healing, or other functions are more important. For example, why did people play on horseshoes? We know that it is good luck to find a horseshoe. That’s why before a wedding musicians and even common people very often clanked horseshoes in order to bring happiness to a newly married couple. The instrument’s protective functions are the most important. The same is with mahlivnytsia – a board used by housewives for washing clothes. It was played because symbolically it was identified with purification. Take for example a horn. Since ancient times, it was believed to bring wealth and prosperity. That’s why on the New Year’s Day, when the Ukrainians sang carols, wished their relatives and friends health and well-being, they always played horns. Trembita is like its ancestor – such a long horn… Instead, drymba was considered to be a therapeutic instrument. Today it’s been scientifically proven that such assumptions aren’t groundless. Witch doctors used to play it. Text: Stepan Hrytsiuk Photo: Yuriy Helytovych
www.tarasbulba.ru
ruk_proekta@tarasbulba.ru
The Oldest Instruments The oldest instruments are the Austrian harmoniums, made in the mid-nineteenth century and banduras dated back to the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, I don’t have very old instruments.
Hromovytsia
Trembitas were made of a tree that was struck by a lightning. It was called hromivne tree, and the trembita a hromovytsia. It is considered that this instrument plays better. That’s because of the peculiarities of the acoustic processes, since in the result of a lightning strike, the wood dries momentarily. But it doesn’t mean that these are the best ones. Even musicians admit that they don’t feel great difference. Rumor has it that it is very good when a tree that, grows near a waterfall is used to make a trembita because the wood moisture content is ideal. The third kind is the best one: in spring or winter people remove the bark from a fir tree and so that it dries up slowly.
Longevity for the Instruments Museum workers always say that it is prohibited to touch the showpieces, to play the instruments, and so on. I always tell them that at least once a year it’s necessary to play the instruments, because it is good for the instruments. Even when a winner of an international violin competition in Italy is given a Stradivarius, it is done for a reason
composition
mineralization 1-2 g/l chemical composition of water Sodium+potassium (Na+ K+) Chlorides (Cl) Sulphates Hydrogen carbonates Calcium Magnesium
mg/l 4.5 3.5 4.6 95 77.2 20.67
12 | calendar
March 1
International Immunity Day International Cat Day Forensic Expert’s Day
March 3
International Writer’s Day The Beginning of Great Lent
March 7
Day of Sergeant in Ukraine
March 8
Day of Land Surveyor in Ukraine International Women’s Day
8
march
International Women’s Day March 9
Day of the Workers of Geodesy and Cartography of the Russian Federation World DJ’s Day
March 11
Day of the Worker of Drug Enforcement Agency in Russian Federation
March 15
World Consumer Rights Day
March 18
Day of Russian Tax Police
March 19
Russian Submarine Sailor’s Day
March 20
The Vernal Equinox International Day of Happiness
March 21
International Day of Forests World Sleep Day
March 22
Taxi Driver’s Day
March 25
Day of the Cultural Worker of Russian Federation Day of National Security Inspectorate of Ukraine Birthday of ‘Korchma ‘Taras Bulba’ restaurant chain
Taras Shevchenko:
the 200th anniversary of the genius’ birth He lived only forty seven years, out of them twenty-four years he spent as a serf and ten years in exile. He was enslaved physically, but his spirit wasn’t broken. A poor serf from the small Ukrainian village of Moryntsi became one of the most famous poets in the world. Many writers of that time had the honor of being friends with him. The popularity of Taras Shevchenko is proved by one fact: the greatest number of monuments in the world has been built to him – from Washington to Buenos Aires and Moscow. The ninth of March is the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Ukrainian genius.
Taras Shevchenko was born on March 9, 1914, in the village of Moryntsi, Zvenyhorod County, Kyiv Province. His parents served LieutenantGeneral Vasyl Engelhardt, a landlord, who owned 50,000 “human souls” and about 160,000 desiatynas (432,000 acres). The fate of a serf didn’t pass the child. At the age of two he was also included in the list of peasants who had to serve the magnate. This is despite the fact that Taras’s family was freedom-loving. His grandfathers and great-grandfathers served in the Zaporozhian Cossacks Army, fought in wars and liberation struggles. Just half a century before his birth, his native land became a center of the Haydamachyna insurrection movement that was later on celebrated by the poet in his poem “Haydamaky.” From the village of Moryntsi the family moved to Kyrylivka. There, in his grandfather Ivan’s small house, lived thirteen people! Besides the main character of our story, there were six more children in the family: Kateryna, Mariya, Mykyta, Yaryna, Mariya, and Yosyp. Later, in his memoirs, Taras not only depicted the house but thoroughly described it: “And here stands in front of me our poor old white house with a darkened thatched roof and a black chimney, and near the house in the yard an apple tree with red apples, and around it there is a flower bed – a favorite of my unforgettable sister, my patient, my tender nanny. And near the gate there is an old branchy willow dried on the top, and behind the willow there is a barn, surrounded with stacks of rye, wheat, and other grain; and behind the barn on the hillside there is a garden! What a garden!... thick, dark, quiet ... And beyond the garden there
is a meadow, then a valley, and in the quiet valley there is a still barely rippling creek, covered with willows and snowball trees and wrapped by dark green large-leaved burdocks...” Despite the difficult conditions, the boy found joy in the simple things that surrounded him. But everything changed after the death of his parents. His mother died in 1823, and his father in 1825. For many years Shevchenko was wandering as a serf, looking for an opportunity to learn to read, write, and draw. At the age of 14 he became a household servant of Pavel Engelhardt. There, his talent was noticed and they decided to send the boy as an apprentice to the famous European portraitist Jan Rustem. When the Engelhardts moved to St. Petersburg, Shevchenko joined for four years the workshop of the craft master Vasyl Shyryayev who painted interior murals in private and public buildings. Together they painted the theater in St. Petersburg. The Ukrainian boy met Yevhen Hrebinka, Alexey Venetsianov, Vasiliy Zhukovskyi, and Karl Bryullov. They decided to free the fellow from serfdom. To raise money, Bryullov painted a portrait of Zhukovskyi, which was put up for lottery for 2,500 rubles. It was bought by the royal family. There were enough proceeds for the native of Moryntsi to throw off the shackles of a serf... When Taras Shevchenko was freed, he became a student at the Academy of Arts and started to study voraciously. He read the works of the Russian and world literature writers, explored the history of Ukraine, took courses in zoology, physics, and physiology, studied French, went to the theater and to concerts. He was acquainted
calendar | 13
with intellectuals and made friends with them. He made up for everything that he was deprived of in his youth. At that time he began to write his first poems and, in 1840, his poetry collection Kobzar was published. It was met with a great acclaim. However, if the Ukrainians responded to it with enthusiasm, the Russian literati accused the young poet of writing in the “peasant language.” During a break from the Academy in 1843, Shevchenko traveled to Ukraine. From everything that he saw there he was inspired to write new poems. Next year, in St. Petersburg, “Chyhyryn Kobzar,” “Haydamaky,” “Hamaliya,” and “Tryzna” were published. Then the poet finished the poem “The Dream.” At that time he had no idea that everything he wrote would be reason for prosecution. According to a secret order, Shevchenko was arrested and with all his papers was immediately deported to the capital of the Russian Empire. “The painter Shevchenko,” went the judgment, “on charges of writing instigating and extremely defiant poetry and as a man with a strong build, has to be appointed as a private soldier in the Orenburg separate unit with the right of service. The superiors
are authorized to strictly superintend him so that he doesn’t have the possibility to write revolting and libelous compositions of any kind.” Nicholas I personally added to this: “Under the strictest control with the prohibition of writing and painting.” State authorities were afraid that his poetry “could disseminate among people the idea of the happy golden times of the Cossack Hetmanate, the intention to bring those times back, and the belief in Ukraine’s existence as a sovereign state.” Shevchenko spent many years in casemates and in the military service. Only in 1857, after a number of petitions, was he released from the army. The Academy of Arts gave Shevchenko a small two-storied studio, where he lived. Nevertheless, the man cherished his plans of returning to Ukraine. In the summer of 1860, he decided to buy a land plot on the Chernecha Mount and build a house there. However, his dreams didn’t come true. In March 1861, the poet passed away. A week after his death, serfdom in the Russian Empire was abolished, but Shevchenko, himself a serf for many years, didn’t live to see it happen.
The Sweet Standard: Alenka Chocolate
Text: Stepan Hrytsiuk
The history of Alenka Chocolate started back in 1964. That was the year when at the plenary session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the USSR, the Soviet confectioners were commissioned to produce delicious chocolate that was accessible to the masses. It had to be milk chocolate. Krasnyi Oktiabr, the already legendary confectionary factory, began carrying out the task, where the confectioners provided the chocolate with its creamy and smooth taste. In a short time Alenka became a top seller and left its competitors behind. People brought it to maternity hospitals, gave it as birthday gifts, and rewarded the people for their accomplishments with it. It’s no wonder, because the confectioners searched for the right proportion for a long period; when too much milk was added, the chocolate bar would lose its shape, when the amount of milk was reduced, the taste wasn’t right. The classical Soviet Alenka consisted of sugar, powdered milk, cacao butter, cacao liquor, lecithin emulsifier, and artificial flavor. Naturally, at that time no one resorted to chemical additives, which today are widely used. Rumor has it that the name Alenka wasn’t random. The chocolate got this name as a tribute to the daughters of Velentina Tereshkova and Yuriy Gagarin, who were growing up at that time. The problem with the package design was more challenging. First, each new chocolate batch had its own picture which was constantly changing. Soon the factory decided to use only one standard wrapper design. They announced a competition. Aleksandr Geranis, a photojournalist and Honored Cultural Worker of the USSR, won the competition with the picture of his daughter. Her photos had been published before in the magazines The Soviet Photo and Health. Alena Geranis’s photo was repainted by the artist Maslov. He gave her blue eyes, changed the shape of her mouth, facial contours, and direction of her gaze. In 1965, the factory started to produce the branded name chocolate with her picture. It has been decorating the wrapper for more than 50 years. Back then, the chocolate wrapper also featured a rhyme written by a Soviet schoolgirl Sasha Egorova.
14 | news from “Korchma”
Good deeds for boarding school students The Korchma Taras Bulba chain of restaurants continues to help students from the Pavlin children’s boarding school in the village of Myshkino, Mozhaysk district, Moscow region. Korchma Taras Bulba took them under its patronage last summer. On June 5, Korchma, Sambo 70 Association, and the Internal Affairs Administration in Moscow opened there a new gym with state-of-the-art sports equipment. The manager of Korchma Taras Bulba, Yuriy Beloyvan, also presented the boarding school with a 500,000 rubles certificate. This money went toward finishing the construction of a chapel on the territory of the school. It had been started back in 2010 but the construction was suspended due to lack of funds. Thank to the sponsor’s assistance, the construction was finished and in winter the chapel was ceremoniously consecrated. Now the students and their teachers can pray in their own chapel. But that’s not all! Every time the children visit Moscow, they are invited to have a delicious lunch in Korchma and to have fun in the comfortable and homey atmosphere.
The War is On but the Lunch should be on Time!
We are now working in the extremely difficult conditions and can only praise the courage of our staff. Their endurance and optimism are worth the highest admiration! I spend my nights expecting news and my every morning starts with the decision of whether to open the restaurant or not. But hundreds of calls from my friends and guests knocking at the windows early in the morning, relieve all my doubts. Even though all means of transportation in the city are blocked, some people do manage to get to work. Under such enduring circumstances our small team does wonders to achieve the incredible results. Waiters substitute cooks and cooks take up several jobs at once. I am sincerely proud of these people. Outside roar the explosions, protesters fortify the barricades, we can even
see the smoke rising over Maidan, and inside the restaurant you can feel ‘the smell of the revolution’ (this is how the protester’s clothes smell). Some are overpowered with the desire to drop everything and flee, others long to join the people at the main country’s square, but we continue our work and serve our guests as best as we can. Currently we are probably the only restaurant in downtown Kyiv remaining open and welcoming guests: journalists, Euromaidan activists, People’s Deputies, and even the police. What we most need in this difficult time is to stay professional despite all. These times have shown me what rare and wonderful people work at my restaurant. Director of Korchma ‘Taras Bulba,’ Kyiv
news from “Korchma”| 15
To celebrate the 15th birthday of the Korchma «Taras Bulba» chain of restaurants we present a CD of Ukrainian classical music in modern arrangements from Bulba Press. The exclusive new disc will be available for sale in our restaurants in March! Find time in your life for our music!
PHOTO CONTEST!
Andrey Gorbatov: We began reading BulbaNEWS in the Negev and finished the last page on the Dead Sea!!! On the 18th of January!!!
Bubla NEWS is pleased to announce the start of a competition for its readers: “We are read around the world!” To take part, please pick up a free copy of our newspaper at any restaurant of the Korchma Taras Bulba chain and take an interesting picture with it. It can be a travel photo, vacation photo, or any staged picture. The best pictures will be published and the winners will get Korchma “Taras Bulba“ gift certificates of 15, 10 and 5 thousand RUR. You can then use them at any restaurant of our chain. Email your photos to bulbanews.ru@gmail.com
We h av e o n l y fr e s h an d s av o r y n e w s !
www.bulbanews.ru Bulba NEWS has its own website now
We offer only fresh and savory news! Share the news in social networks, and leave your comments. Send your news to: bulbanews.ru@gmail.com EVERYBODY READS US!
The newspaper office is open for cooperation! Call us at 8-968-665-12-07 or write to: bulbanews.ru@gmail.com
Bulba Press’ Publishing presents a new magazine for children in 2014 – Tarasik.
к ниг а -ме ню On its 15th Birthday Korchma ‘Taras Bulba’ reveals its secrets. Forthcoming in March is a long expected presentation of the book of recipes from BULBA PRESS. It includes all our delicious and most exotic recipes and culinary tales.
Your kids deserve the best childhood!
4 4 7 7 0 8 7 (495)
Grandma’s Cutlets Ingredients for 1kg of mince:
Ukrainian cuisine – made with love!
• pork - 290 g • beef - 330 g • pork fat - 70 g • bread - 100 g • milk - 100 g • onion - 60 g • garlic - 15 g • eggs - 3 pcs • butter - 30 g • oil - 60 g
Restaurants’ location:
MOSCOW, Aviamotornaya metro station, 6 Krasnokazarmennaya St., (499) 763 5741
Avtozavodskaya metro station, 6 Velozavodskaya St., (499) 764 1532
Akademicheskaya metro station, 16/10 Profsoyuznaya St., (499) 125 0877
Alekseyavskaya metro station, 3 Bochkova St., (495) 616 6754
Airport metro station,
Preparing the mince.
64 Leningradskiy Prospekt St., (499) 151 9011
Baumanskaya metro station, 23/41 Bakuninskaya St., (495) 956 5580
Clean and wash meat and fat, slice it, and grind it once together with wheat bread (no crust) soaked in milk, onion, and garlic. Add to the mixture salt, pepper, and eggs, butter. Mix the mince until uniform and beat it.
Borovitskaya metro station, 8 Mokhovaya St., 24-hour, (495) 644 8020
Krasnye Vorota metro station, 47 Myasnitskaya St., (495) 607 1762
Leninskiy Prospekt metro station, 37 Leninskiy Prospect St., (495) 954 6466
Novokuznetskaya metro station, 14 Pyatnitskaya St., (495) 953 7153
Preparing the cutlets. Portion the prepared meat mince, form cutlets of about 70 g each, coat with flour, and fry in oil on both sides until toasted. Then steam them in the oven.
Novye Cheryomushki metro station, Nametkina St., 13 г, (495) 331 4211
Smolenskaya metro station, 12 Smolenskiy Avenue. St., 24-hour, (499) 246 6902
Tsvetnoy Boulevard metro station, 13 Sadovaya-Samotechnaya St., 24-hour, (495) 694 0056
Chekhovskaya metro station, 30/7 Petrovka St., (495) 694 6082
Yugo-Zapadnaya metro station,
Grandma’s Cutlets: of pork and beef server with the Ajika sauce 115 gr – 290 rur.
6 Borovskoye Road, (495) 980 2051
Vystavochnaya metro station, of 1905 year, 27 Shmitovskiy Passage, 24-hour, (499) 256-4660
KIEV, “Teatralnaya”, “Zolotye Vorota”,“Kreschatik” metro station, 2-4/7 Pushkinskaya St.,+38 (044) 270-7248 357 West Broadway, NYork City, NY 10013 phone: (212) 510 75 10
Look for this taste treat in our menues! Certificate of registration PI № FS 77 — 19940. Circulation is 5 000 copies.
Laskavo prosymo!