A pancake-making competition wrapped up the gastronomic program of the International Festival of Youth (IFY — 2026). The final battle pitted the Russian culinary team against the world team. Russia was represented by Andrei Mytnik, founder and Master Chef of the Siberian Tea House in Biysk, and Sergei Fedoseev, Master Chef of the Moscow restaurant chain Azbuka Severa. The world team, drawn from IFY — 2026 participating countries, included Sun Bin, Master Chef of the Karefana restaurant (Ekaterinburg); Anton Guerego, Master Chef of the Mineral cafe (Vladivostok); and Mohammad Sahep Ali, Master Chef of the Karefana cafe in Yoshkar-Ola.
To start its master class, the Russian team cooked pancakes with baked-in filling from pine nuts. These use standard batter, and the first side is baked in the usual way, but while the top of the pancake is still raw, pine nuts are sprinkled onto it. The baked-in filling can vary, Andrei Mytnik explained; it can be made with millet, onion, egg, or even minced meat. While the second side was cooking, he played a whistle for the guests.
As a second dish, the Russians prepared pancakes with two types of fish — Lena omul and Far Eastern sockeye salmon — and smoked sour cream. According to Sergei Fedoseev, the main ingredients are always egg and flour; and the batter varies by region — rye in some places, wheat in others; then milk, kefir as a liquid base, and possibly yeast.
“My filling will be northern, since I’m from the north myself. There will be two types of wild fish. Lena omul lives in one of Russia’s longest rivers — the Lena, in Yakutia. That region has a harsh climate, with frosts down to -50 °C, and in taste and composition, Lena omul differs noticeably from the well-known Baikal omul,” the Master Chef said.
Sun Bin from the world team prepared traditional pancakes for the guests, the kind often sold in the streets in China.
“They are very popular in China, people start making them early in the morning, and queues line up for them,” he noted. The recipe has its own peculiarities: besides wheat flour, corn flour is added, along with a little starch and egg. The finished pancake is seasoned with sweet-and-sour sauce and, if desired, cilantro or other herbs, or sesame.
Mohammad Sahep Ali demonstrated the specifics of preparing a national variety of pancakes — dosa. Their key difference is the use of many different spices — bay leaf, salt, lentil powder, cardamom, masala — as well as rice flour. Using different combinations, he made four types of pancakes: plain, spicy, crispy, and with masala. To wrap up the master class, members of the Russian team held a pancake-tossing competition. Both the height of the toss and the number of flips in the air were judged.
“My best result is five flips,” admitted Sergei Fedoseev, tossing another pancake more than two meters high; but this time the record was not beaten.
That concluded the final master class at Tastes of the World Festival. Over four days, the IFY — 2026 venue held 19 large gastronomic performances and 63 master classes on preparing dishes and drinks of the peoples of Russia and the Festival’s participating countries. In addition, more than 30 experts gave lectures on world culinary traditions and the secrets of famous dishes.
Overview:
The International Festival of Youth, held as part of the Youth and Children national project, is taking place in Ekaterinburg from September 11 to 17, 2026. The decree establishing the event was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 29, 2025. The Festival is being held under the motto “Follow Your Dream”.
Participants of the IFY – 2026 include 10,000 young leaders from 191 countries, including 5,000 Russians and 5,000 international citizens. Among them are leading representatives of creative industries and the arts, public administration, science and education, sport, entrepreneurship, media, digitalization and IT, and civic engagement – people who are already shaping the future of their countries and the world. Continuing the successful practice established at the World Youth Festival 2024, those invited include 1,000 teenagers aged 14 to 17 – 500 from Russia and 500 from abroad. The Children’s Program is organized by the Movement of the First.
The World Youth Festival took place from March 1 to 7, 2024, in Sirius, in accordance with a decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at developing international youth cooperation. The WYF-2024 brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries.
In line with instructions from Russia’s President on preserving and building on the legacy of the World Youth Festival, festival events are now held annually across Russia. The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work to strengthen international youth cooperation and build a community of young people who care about the future of the world.