Dishes served during special occasions at the Kremlin have been considerably modernised since Putin assumed the presidency and do not include any extravagant culinary delights, the Kremlin's chef Igor Bukharov has revealed in an interview.
According to Bukharov, certain delicacies served during the Soviet times and Yeltsin's presidency, such as suckling pigs and sturgeon, are no longer part of the Kremlin's diet either.
“There are no forbidden products. It’s clear that it would be strange to serve buffalo, giraffe or crocodile meat - although in Russia we do have crocodile and ostrich farms. Everything is generally very traditional, but in a modern sense. It's akin to haute cuisine - a large plate, but a small portion", Bukharov said.
The chef added that food that ends up on the table of the Russian president is first checked in a laboratory, and only then cooked in a special kitchen.