Irina Janakievska: The Balkan Kitchen

This week, Gilly is with Irina Janakievska, a North Macedonian
born former lawyer turned chef who trained at Leiths and worked
in the Ottolenghi test kitchen before becoming a runner up
for the prestigious Jane Grigson Trust award for her debut
cookbook, The Balkan Kitchen.


It’s massive book reaching deep into the history, peoples
and geo-politics of the Balkans, but also into her own family
story and her exploration of her own identity through recipes
from all Balkan kitchens. 


Most of all, it’s a love letter to Balkan cuisine – one of the
most under-explored gastronomies in the world, and overshadowed
by conflict.


Head to Gilly’s Substack to hear Irina read the poem that
inspired the book cover, and for her recipe for Slatko, one of
her four food moments.


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