Alexey Starostin is the winner of the popular project “Master Chef. Children ”, aired on the STS channel. He was able to surpass all the participants and win an internship in Singapore.
Lesha talked about how he started cooking, who helped him develop his culinary skills, how his life changed after the project. Also, a talented young man, with pleasure, shared with our readers a recipe for a healthy summer dish.
Alexey, how did your love for cooking manifest itself? Do you remember what was your first dish, who tasted it? And how did you get the desire to cook?
I can't say exactly when my love for cooking began. Roughly this happened at the age of 5, when I helped my grandmother in the kitchen. My first course was a salad made from all sorts of things. My grandmother tried it. It was from that moment that I had a desire to cook, because my loved ones liked what I did.
What do you consider your signature dish now? And is there something that you want to learn how to cook, but so far it doesn’t work out ideally?
Now I consider smoked salmon with glazed vegetables to be my signature dish, because it works best.
From the fact that I still don’t ideally succeed, I always single out profiteroles - cakes made from custard dough. For their preparation, it is very important to strictly observe the proportions and temperature regime, which I do not always succeed in.
Did you study culinary arts somewhere, or did you create yourself in the kitchen? Did someone close help you?
Before Master Chef, I had never studied culinary arts anywhere. However, after the project, I did internships at culinary studios in Moscow and Singapore, where I learned a lot. Of those close to me in my culinary endeavors, my grandmother helped me: she tried my “masterpieces” and passed verdicts on them (smiles).
When did your family start to notice that you are a good cook?
Around the age of 11 or 12, when I started doing whole family dinners.
Are you in charge of the kitchen now? Or do parents also often show themselves in cooking?
Now I can’t say that I’m in charge of the kitchen, because due to the exam, I had a huge lack of time. So my dad usually cooks.
Alexey, how did you decide to go to the Master Chef project? Who supported you in this desire?
I decided to go to the Master Chef project on my own and spontaneously. And the first to support me was my uncle, whom I was visiting at that moment.
Could you imagine that you will win?
Definitely not (laughs). Since immediately after submitting the application I looked at the American version, and realized that the tasks there are quite difficult.
What was the most difficult part of the project for you?
Test in the kitchen of the Metropol restaurant. It was difficult not in the culinary sense, but physically, because standing for more than three hours in a hot kitchen, while constantly cooking something and being nervous is not an easy job.
What atmosphere reigned - friendly, or, basically, competition was felt? Who did you initially consider the strongest opponents, and who do you communicate with now?
Mostly friendly... Even in the final test, the judges noted that friends were fighting. Initially, I considered Pasha Kuznetsov to be my main rival. He was strong in knowledge and ability to present dishes beautifully. It was with him that I competed in the final episode. Unfortunately, after the project, we have little contact with each other.
How did your friends react to your passion for cooking? Have you met with statements that this is “not a man's business” and the like?
Fortunately, no. My friends always support me in all my endeavors, and the Master Chef project is no exception.
Can you say that after this project your life has changed radically?
Yes, my life has changed radically! First, I started to give a huge number of cooking classes in Moscow and on television. Secondly, I met many people working in the culinary field, which undoubtedly influenced me.
What does cooking bring into your life? What emotions do you experience when you cook your favorite dishes?
Cooking brings joy to my life. When I cook, I relax my soul and feel harmony.
Do you think modern girls should be able to cook?
I believe that not only girls, but any modern person should be able to cook. After all, we often have to live alone.
Alexey, do you plan to connect your life with cooking? Have you already decided who to do?
Yes, I want to connect my life with cooking. To act, I think, in the management of the restaurant business at the Russian University of Economics. G.V. Plekhanov.
What other hobbies do you have, perhaps interesting hobbies?
Until 10-11 grades, I had a whole lot of hobbies: music, chess, dancing and a lot of everything. However, now, again, because of the exams, I did not have time. So everything faded into the background.
What cuisines of the world do you like?
Firstly, this is the cuisine of Southeast Asia, countries such as Singapore, Japan and so on. I like them because of the abundance of various sauces, spices. And also Asian cuisine welcomes fantasy. It is easier to create in it, to invent something new. Secondly, I like French cuisine due to its complexity. All these nuances of preparation, proportions - all this gives me pleasure in the culinary process.
How do you feel about proper nutrition? How do you eat yourself?
Of course, I advocate proper nutrition and try to stick to it myself.
Would you like to open your own restaurant, and what direction would it be?
Even during the show, I said that I would like to open a sea restaurant on the water. Over this period of time, my dreams have not changed much, except that now I know more dishes that can diversify the menu.
What nutritional trends do you like and which do you not?
The trends that I like are the use of natural products, the use of authentic recipes, the use of modern technologies within the framework of "molecular cuisine". I do not like only one modern trend - the transition of cuisines to vegetarian or vegan. I think it's irrational.
Recipe from Alexei Starostin Tomato pie with cheese
Ingredients:
Tomatoes - 5 medium pieces, better than different colors
Basil - 9-10 leaves
Garlic - 2-3 cloves
Dried oregano - 1 tablespoon
Egg yolk - 1 chilled
Mustard with grains - 1 tablespoon
Dry yeast - half a teaspoon
Granulated sugar - 1 teaspoon
Salt - a pinch
Flour - 1 cup
Apple cider vinegar - 2 teaspoons
Olive oil - 3 tablespoons
Sesame - 2 teaspoons, toasted
Feta cheese - 150 gr.
Water - 200 gr.
Honey - 10 gr.
Cooking delicious tomato pie with cheese
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, yeast, salt and sugar, add olive oil, water. Knead the dough.
- Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes, roll out into a circle with a diameter of about 35 cm.
- Spread the mustard over the dough, distribute some of the feta cheese, garlic, and a few basil leaves.
- Arrange chopped tomatoes on top, it is better to diversify the colors.
- Distribute remaining garlic, basil and feta. Drizzle with apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
- Fold the edges of the dough together to form a round cake.
- Brush the edges of the pie with egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake 40 minutes in the oven. Let stand 10 minutes before serving, sprinkle with oregano.
- Drizzle with honey and garnish with fresh basil.
Bon Appetit!
On the eve of the holiday, the participants of the project “Masterchef. Children” shared New Year's recipes. Learn how to cook salmon wellington a la rus, duck with romanesco cabbage and berry sauce, baked sea bass with mushroom sauce, and honey cake with Borodino bread.
Pasha Kuznetsov, 13 years old:
Honey cake with Borodino bread
Biscuit Ingredients:
Flour (500g),
sugar (300g),
eggs (6 pieces).
Cream Ingredients:
Mascarpone (500g),
powdered sugar (200g),
vanilla (1 pod),
baking powder (1 teaspoon).
Impregnation:
white rum,
black rum,
Sprinkling:
Borodino bread,
coriander,
Cooking:
Whisk eggs with sugar. Mix flour with baking powder. We introduce into the egg mixture and add honey, mix. Grease a baking sheet with oil and spread our egg mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees.
For cream, mix mascarpone with honey, vanilla and beat. We add some milk. For impregnation, mix alcohol with sugar and evaporate by a third. We take out the cakes, grease with impregnation and combine with a cream.
Grind the dried bread in advance in a blender with coriander. We decorate the cake and let it brew a little. It is best to put it in the refrigerator overnight.
Sofia Grechko, 12 years old:
Baked sea bass with mushroom sauce
Ingredients:
bunch of fresh thyme
a little olive oil
salt pepper.
For sauce:
mustard on the tip of a spoon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil,
1/4 lemon
2 medium sized gherkins
1 tablespoon capers.
For garnish:
Asparagus (50 g),
leek (50 g),
butter.
Cooking:
Put the oven to warm up to 250 degrees. Gut the fish, remove the gills and rinse. Make three shallow incisions in the skin on each side. Cut the lemon into thin slices. Place sliced lemon slices into the slits. Put thyme and lemon inside the fish. Rub the fish with salt and pepper on each side. Brush the fish with butter on each side and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Sauce:
Put the egg to boil for about 8 minutes (you need the protein to be hard-boiled, and the yolk a little undercooked). While the egg is cooking, lightly chop the gherkins and capers. Cool the boiled egg and separate the yolk from the protein. Mash the yolk with a fork, add mustard, wine vinegar and salt to it, mix well. Then use a wooden spoon to crush the yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly add the oil. At the end, add finely chopped protein, gherkins and capers.
Garnish:
Clean and wash the asparagus. Peel the leek and cut into thick rings.
Melt the butter in a frying pan and add olive oil to it (so as not to burn). Fry the leek until golden brown, and fry the asparagus for no more than a minute.
Serve the fish on a long plate, pulling the lemon and thyme from the belly beforehand. Serve the sauce in a cocotte bowl.
Alina Isaeva, 13 years old:
Roast duck with Romanesco cabbage and berry sauce
Ingredients:
duck breast fillet,
Strawberry,
romanesco cabbage.
Cooking:
We cut the fillet from the side of the skin so that when frying, fat comes out of it, and it cooks in its own juice without oil. Put the fillet in a preheated pan, first fry with the skin side, then the other. The duck should remain slightly damp. We put it on a baking sheet and put it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees, for 5-7 minutes (maximum 12). It should be juicy. At this time, boil Romanesco, adding a little salt to the water.
Sauce preparation:
Wash the berries, dry them and fry in a pan over medium heat. When the berries begin to turn into a puree, add 3 teaspoons of honey and salt and pepper to taste. Strain through a sieve and our sauce is ready!
Premiere of the new STS culinary show MasterChef. Children" will be held on November 7. The project, which is attended by 40 talented young culinary specialists from all over the country, as well as chefs: Andrey Shmakov, Alexander Belkovich and Giuseppe D'Angelo, will be aired on Saturdays at 19.00.
We offer you to get acquainted with branded recipes from young chefs. You will learn how to cook the perfect ribeye steak, how to make the right salmon tartar and how to serve smoked duck perlotto.
Participants' signature recipes
Erika Ghukasyan, 10 years old
Ribeye steak with chimichurri sauce and roasted vegetables
Ingredients:
Ribeye steak, olive oil, salt, pepper
Asparagus, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, zucchini
Chimichurri sauce: Garlic, shallot, cilantro, parsley, lime, white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, rosemary, vegetable oil, chili pepper
Cooking:
Marinate steak in olive oil. Salt, pepper and fry in a grill pan until the desired degree of roasting. For example, if you prefer medium rare, then fry the steak for 3-4 minutes and let it rest for 7-10 minutes.
Grill the vegetables, brushing them with olive oil. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 5-10 seconds, then quickly transfer to ice water to keep the bright green color.
For the chimichurri sauce, blend all the ingredients in a blender and pour the sauce over the vegetables.
Pavel Kuznetsov, 14 years old
Salmon tartar with poached egg on potato pancake
Ingredients:
Potato, onion, flour (100g), eggs, salmon (150g), cilantro, green onion, balsamic vinegar, cucumber, cling film, olive oil
Cooking:
Cut the salmon fillet into medium cubes, finely chop the cilantro and parsley. Cucumber cut into cubes. Put everything in a bowl, add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil to this. Mix well and let it brew.
For potato pancakes, you need to rub potatoes and onions, mix everything with flour and eggs. Pour mixture into hot skillet and cook for 7-10 minutes until cooked through.
Put tar-tar on top of the finished pancake with the help of a culinary ring. Serve garnished with greens.
Alisa Maziane, 12 years old
Perlotto with smoked duck, beets and mushrooms
Ingredients: chicken, carrot, onion, dry porcini mushrooms, fresh porcini mushrooms, dill, parsley, bay leaf, allspice, smoked duck, barley (200g), mascarpone, garlic, parmesan, butter, beetroot, onion, thyme, white wine
To serve: redcurrant, frisee lettuce, watercress, amaranth, chervil, mini spinach
Cooking:
Peel the beets, cut into slices, brush with olive oil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees. Perlotto is best cooked in chicken broth. For him, you need to boil chicken, onions, carrots, add spices to taste.
Saute thyme and garlic in olive oil. Add barley pre-boiled until half cooked. Pour in some white wine, wait until it evaporates. Then you need to gradually pour in the broth, wait until the barley absorbs it. Prepare perlotto like a risotto.
When barley reaches the al dente stage, add mascarpone cheese to it and mix. There also add grated parmesan and 30 grams of butter.
You can serve perlotto as follows: put the barley itself on a plate, garnish with roasted beetroot slices, smoked duck slices, a sprig of red currant and various greens.
Alexey Starostin, 14 years old
Pork souvlaki with tzatziki sauce
Ingredients: Pork (neck), olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, natural yogurt, garlic, cucumber, dill, potato, bell pepper, onion, herbs de Provence, tomatoes, wooden skewers
Cooking:
Cut the pork neck into large pieces. Bulgarian pepper cut into pieces, as for barbecue, onion - rings. Mix pork, pepper and onion, add olive oil, oregano, salt. Cut potatoes into wedges and season with Provencal herbs, olive oil and salt. Fry the potatoes in a skillet until cooked through.
Pork, pepper and onion strung on wooden skewers and bake in the oven, heated to 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
For the tzatziki sauce, mix natural yogurt, finely chopped dill, grated cucumber and finely chopped garlic.
Souvlaki should be served with potatoes and sauce. Pre-decorated with greens.
MasterChef. Children
Saturdays at 19:00
"MasterChef. Children" gives young chefs the opportunity to demonstrate their culinary talents and compete for the title of the best young chef in the country. This is the only Russian analogue of the world-famous MasterChef Junior show, which has already been successfully staged in more than 50 countries around the world. Despite their age, young chefs will have to face challenges that not every adult can handle, and under the supervision of famous chefs, restaurateurs and culinary industry experts, reach a new level of skill. The award of the culinary competition will be studying at a prestigious culinary school abroad.
Production: White Media
Number of episodes: 12
Timing: 45 min
Producers: Timur Weinstein, Yulia Sumacheva, Elmira Makhmutova, Valentina Krasnykh
Hosts of the show: Andrey Shmakov, Alexander Belkovich, Giuseppe D'Angelo
