Museum

Poltava Museum of Folk Gastronomy

Poltava

The Poltava Museum of Folk Gastronomy is a private interactive institution founded by Larisa Onishchuk, a researcher of traditional Ukrainian cuisine. The museum showcases the unique gastronomic culture of the Poltava region: 18th-century dumplings, borscht with crucian carp, wheat bread with hop sourdough, dairy dishes made from fermented baked milk and fermented baked milk. The collection includes old Poltava dishes (makitra, jugs, plates with green painting), handwritten recipe books, ethnographic photos and tools of peasant life. Visitors don’t just see the exhibits – they cook. The interactive program includes kneading dough for dumplings, molding dumplings, baking Easter cakes according to family recipes from the late 19th century, and tasting reconstructed dishes made from kvass, uzvar and kissel. A separate program is dedicated to the history of the Poltava salt and sugar industry, research into local birdwatching traditions and Chumach recipes for rusk dishes from distant campaigns.