According to tourism industry experts, gastronomic tourism in Russia is growing at a rate of 15-17% per year. Many regions in the country are striving to establish their uniqueness through local products and cuisine. The Sochi Mountain Cluster is following this trend, attracting millions of tourists with its well-developed gastronomic traditions, which represent a unique blend of several national cuisines.
Rosa Khutor annually hosts a large-scale gastronomic festival aimed at promoting regional specialties and cuisine. This summer's festival was dedicated to "Southern Cuisine" and was attended by over 35,000 people. The resort boasts over 50 restaurants of various cuisines, with 10 of them under its own management.
In 2023, to popularize the cuisine of the mountainous Black Sea region, the resort appointed a special gastronomic ambassador – renowned chef and TV presenter Mark Statsenko. In collaboration with Rosa Khutor's brand chef Valentin Shin, they are forming a unique style, promoting local products. As Mark Statsenko notes, "The publication of the book 'Cuisine at Altitude' is another step in the consistent development of the resort's gastronomic direction. It is essentially a small guide to the traditional cuisine of the region and Rosa Khutor's establishments, in which we reveal our vision, our interpretation of gastronomy. Through unexpected interpretations of familiar products, we demonstrate innovation and offer a taste of new Caucasian cuisine. Importantly, in this book, we introduce our team, our chefs, and publish their original recipes. I think this is informative and useful reading."
The author of the book "Cuisine at Altitude" is Olga Shutova, a gastronomic journalist, editor of the Sochi city media SCAPP (Sochi), Restaurant Reviewer of the Year according to the National Where To Eat South 2019 award, and author of guides to Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana restaurants. "In my opinion, Black Sea cuisine is music that you want to share,present selectively, sincerely, and expressively. Let the southern cuisine, saturated with sun, wind, and sea, become a haven for aesthetes and a choice for gourmets. Fortunately, we are confidently moving towards this," says Olga Shutova.
As the seasons change, the menus of Rosa Khutor's restaurants introduce a variety of seasonal products. Some of the resort's chefs collect ingredients directly from the mountain slopes for their dishes. Through local spices, herbs, berries,and fruits, they tell guests the gastronomic story of the region. The book "Cuisine at Altitude" presents recipes from the chefs of popular restaurants at Rosa Khutor, which can easily be prepared at home.
As Viktor Kovalenko, Vice President of the Eurasian Commonwealth of Tourism Industry Specialists, notes, "The resort has chosen the right strategy of positioning itself through its gastronomic component. Such immersion helps its guests better understand the culture of the place and stimulates interest. According to recent surveys, about 70% of travelers bring local food home as souvenirs. Visiting restaurants and gastronomic discoveries have a significant impact on the overall impression of the holiday. It is obvious that gastronomic tourism in our country has serious development prospects. In this sense, the Sochi Mountain Cluster has a lot to offer."
The book "Cuisine at Altitude" has been printed in a limited edition of 500 copies and will be distributed at Rosa Khutor resort.
