Vanuku

[Kubrick]

Modern Jelbic cuisine as a lasting struggle
30 January 5559


Wiel's most renowned chef Azi Yzguksks at work in the kitchen of his renowned restaurant Nrlgrak, which has two Verrault stars.

Modern Jelbic cuisine is facing increased pressure with current food trends, but one master chef is trying to adapt. Jelbic cuisine has traditionally been focused on meat and dairy. Before the migrations historians allege that Jelbic cuisine was not too far away from Yingdalan traditions, just more focused on meat products and dairy. The migrations however forced the Jelbic horsemen to fully focus on dairy and meat. When fully settling in the continent of Majatra the steppes forced this diet. Since then however Jelbics have settled along the coast, in places where Selucians and Cildanians already had ports and cities. This caused the introduction of Majatran spices to the Jelbic diet, together with some sparse vegetables. Nonetheless the main diet has remained meat and dairy. The Jelbic Renaissance caused a great influx of vegetables into the normal settled Jelbic diet, as did the influences of Dorvish, Augustans and Majatrans. Modern Jelbic cuisine has one that has greatly focused on meat, fermentation, dairy and vegetables grown within the borders of what purists consider Jelbic lands. Recent dietary and ideological trends however have overtaken the cuisine of the Jelbic peoples. The new generations in Wrnuke's capital city of Wiel seem to avoid traditional Jelbic food, instead preferring foreign foods. A popular complaint is that Jelbic cuisine is unable to adhere to the diets of the newer generations, with most dishes revolving around meat.

This criticism was heard by renowned chef Azi Yzguksks, a former student of three Verrault star chef Yitzhak Shtén-Ashur in his famous Frj Hydwas Koi restaurant. Shtén-Ashur's restaurant has been mostly known in Majatra as being one of the most exclusive places where it is extremely difficult to get reservations. The reclusive chef Shtén-Ashur usually only invites people he likes, personal friends, family and a select audience of guests his 'trusted circle' approves. This globally renowned restaurant which for years has pushed gastronomy to the next level served as the learning grounds for Yzguksks. Under the creative but ruthless chef Yitzhak Shtén-Ashur he served as a sous-chef, with influences on the menu, being credited for several revolutionary dishes. Eventually however being under a chef felt restrictive for Yzguksks. The ambitious young chef reached out to several industry giants and famous restaurant entrepreneur and one of the judges of Wrnuke's most popular cooking show Frjgeik the hospitality investor Pawlín Jezklarz became his saving grace. The successful female chef and investor gave Yzguksks the funds for his own new restaurant. He named the place Nrlgrak, or Gray, as a rather ironic statement. "The cooking we do here is the opposite of gray, so it felt fitting."

Instead of sticking to the renewed traditional Jelbic cuisine which his former tutor taught him at Frj Hydwas Koi he decided to find a new modern twist. For the first few years the young chef refused to serve meat in his restaurant. The move surprised critics, which never saw a Jelbic chef on this level start a vegetarian restaurant before. Chef Yzguksks worked hard to create unique dishes in the Jelbic style by using only vegetables. His vegetarian cooking eventually earned him two Verrault stars. Verrault stars are widely considered the greatest achievement for chefs across the globe, ranging from one to three stars. Nrlgrak is one of four vegetarian restaurants across the globe to earn a Verrault star, and the only one to earn two. But this is not enough for the ambitious chef: "I will not rest until I have three stars, which is why we've changed our menu once again, this innovation will change our cooking beyond reproach, we will be unbeatable." The change chef Yzguksks is talking about is a new collaboration between his restaurant and Wrnuke's primary producer of fake meat. This will enable the restaurant to make traditional dishes without meat. The chef has long insisted that swapping to products like these has been a necessity to generate a culture of guilt-free Jelbic cuisine. For now the elder generations seem to be sceptical but younger generations are flocking to the restaurant. A turn in Jelbic cuisine is emerging. 
 
Krsyiji Sagmot'l (United Media) is the national news agency of Wrnuke, it is decidedly pro-government but can at times be critical of it.