Konstantin Ivlev is a talented Russian chef. He is known in the culinary world as an experimenter and expert in the discovery of new flavor combinations. He has gained widespread popularity through his participation in television shows.
The path to glory
Konstantin Ivlev was born in 1974 in Moscow. His parents were wealthy people and, due to the duty of his father, the family often lived abroad. The future popular chef has been living in Moscow since he was 12 years old. Since childhood, he showed interest in cooking, helped his mother in the kitchen. Parents treated their son's hobby with understanding. It was his father who advised him to choose a specialty.
Konstantin Ivlev stood out among his peers. He dressed expensively, but at the same time remained a fairly simple person, did not become conceited. At school, the future eminent chef studied poorly and immediately after graduation he entered the school to comprehend the basics of cooking. After serving in the army, he got a job in a student canteen, and then in 1993 began working at the Steak House restaurant. It was a turning point in his life. Konstantin discovered a lot of new things and was amazed. Most of the sauces, dressings, exotic dishes were simply unknown to him. Then Ivlev began to actively learn from foreign colleagues. At various times he worked in restaurants Luciano, In Vito, Sheraton Palace Hotel. He successfully trained at the French Vatel culinary school and subsequently became a member of the French Gastronomy Guild Chaine des Rotissers. Ivlev was invited to learn from the experience of foreign colleagues from the USA, Switzerland and other countries.
Innovator of Russian cuisine
Konstantin Ivlev is called the innovator of Russian cuisine. The famous chef pondered a lot on the topic of domestic cuisine and came to the conclusion that most of his compatriots have an exclusively Soviet perception of cooking. People are afraid of something new and, getting used to certain tastes, do not want to change anything. The idea of creating a new Russian cuisine is based on 3 main principles:
- maximum use of domestically produced products;
- the use of high-tech methods of culinary processing, freezing (marinating in a vacuum, shock freezing);
- original serving of dishes.
Ivlev proposes to move away from stereotypes and show imagination. A familiar dish can be served not in an ordinary plate, but on a plastic tray or in a half of an apple from which the pulp has been removed. All this makes it possible to modernize Russian cuisine, stir up interest in it, and move away from Soviet primitivism in cooking. Ivlev suggested serving food on a piece of birch bark, on wooden stands. The popular chef, creating the concept of "new Russian cuisine", invites you to remember the primordially Russian products and drinks that were undeservedly forgotten. One of his specialties is sterlet stewed in birch sap. Ivlev cooks the usual Kiev cutlets in a completely different way. He adds soft cheese to them and uses special devices to make the layer of chicken fillet as thin as possible. One of the most famous of his inventions are cheese cakes, prepared without the addition of flour, oatmeal and other fillers. Everything is very simple and affordable, but at the same time the dish turns out to be incredibly tasty.
Participation in popular projects
Konstantin Ivlev is known not only in narrow circles. Ordinary people who don't go to restaurants found out about this talented person thanks to his participation in several shows:
- "Ask the chef";
- "On Knives";
- "Hell's Kitchen".
He leads the Ask the Cook program together with fellow student Yuri Rozhkov. In this project, the chefs not only demonstrate their own masterpieces, but also answer the audience's questions. Each issue they prepare something unusual, but at the same time affordable, so that every housewife can repeat it.
Konstantin Ivlev is the author of several books:
- "My philosophy of cuisine"
- "Cooking one, two, three";
- "Russia is cooking at home";
- "The kitchen of real men".
He wrote some books in collaboration with Rozhkov. In all publications, the chef tries to give interesting, but at the same time understandable recipes. Ivlev studied statistics for a long time and assures that ordinary people are not interested in reading and watching programs about the preparation of complex dishes using exotic expensive ingredients.
Konstantin Ivlev works in several directions at once. He is not only a talented chef, but also a presenter, writer, teacher and organizer, takes part in foreign master classes and seminars dedicated to the culinary arts. At the same time, he not only teaches others, but also continues to learn himself from other eminent masters.
Together with some talented restaurateurs, Ivlev opened several restaurants in different cities of Russia. Konstantin knows all the nuances of this business. Among colleagues and subordinates, he is known for his adherence to principles and toughness. Viewers are used to seeing the famous chef in a good mood, making jokes. But everything related to work is very serious for him. Constantine does not tolerate indifference to untidiness. It is very important for him that each member of the team understands well what he is doing and why. It is very valuable when a chef respects and loves customers, because indifference completely destroys all efforts to create something perfect. When hiring people, the boss himself conducts interviews and very quickly determines whether a person is suitable for him or not. He has accumulated enough experience for this.
Ivlev is considered an innovator also because he managed to change people's opinion about this profession. Previously, visitors to canteens and restaurants treated chefs with distrust. Now many chefs have reached a completely different level. They know about them, are interested in them and take their opinion into account.
Personal life of the cook
Konstantin Ivlev is married. Together with his wife, they are raising a son and a daughter. The son of the chef is already showing an interest in haute cuisine and the famous father wants his child to continue the business he had started. To do this, he gladly buys cookbooks for children, and also shares his personal experience with them.
A celebrity chef often has to answer questions about who's cooking in their family. Konstantin Ivlev assures that he does not cook at home very often, but with great pleasure. His wife gives him advice on the design of the space for cooking or eating.
