Saturday 27 February – 14.00 – 14.45
In association with The British Library in London
A taste of Georgian cuisine – with a culinary demonstration in the Georgian capital by a youthful impresario and TV judge on Georgian Masterchef.
Georgian cooking owes its flavours to its Caucasus location in the fertile crescent, on the edge of empires. Invading Greek, Persian, Arab, Mongol, Ottoman and Russian empires brought novel ingredients and know-how to indigenous staples, resulting in signature delicacies, from khinkali pasta dumplings, and walnut or sour-plum sauces, to khatchapuri cheese-bread shaped like gondolas.
Add to this mix 8,000 years of wine-making in unique vessels known as quevri, and an ancient, hospitable culture of supras (feasts) – where tamadas (toastmasters) have the first and last word – and it becomes clearer why Tbilisi’s cosmopolitan cafe culture a century ago nurtured a stimulating exchange of ideas and astonishing artistic renewal.
Luka Nachkebia, TV presenter for Georgian Masterchef, who also teaches Pacific and Asian cuisine at the Georgian Culinary Academy in Tbilisi, speaks on feasting as therapy – including in a time of pandemic. In his new state-of-the-art studio in an old mansion in the capital, he demonstrates how to innovate without losing what is delicious and distinctive about Georgian cuisine.
Introduced by cultural journalist Maya Jaggi, Artistic Director of Georgia’s Fantastic Tavern.
In association with The British Library in London
This is an online event. Bookers will be sent a link in advance giving access and will be able to watch at any time for 48 hours after the start time.
Please note: all timings are GMT
