Polotsk chefs to master new skills in Lithuania, Sweden, Latvia

VITEBSK, 19 August (BelTA) - Representatives of Polotsk’s retail and catering companies will hone their culinary and marketing skills in Lithuania, Sweden and Latvia, BelTA learnt from the Polotsk District Executive Committee.

In line with the Bella Cuisine project (Culinary service improvement in Latgale and Vitebsk regions based on culinary heritage concept), representatives of six retail organizations from Polotsk will go to Zarasai (Lithuania), Karlshamn (Sweden) and Kraslava (Latvia) on three- and five-day tours in August-September.

The Polotsk representatives will visit 11 enterprises which epitomize Lithuania’s culinary heritage: a water mill in Slyninka, meat manufacturing companies, agrotourism farmstead Alausyne and other objects. A five-day training trip to Sweden will let the Polotsk specialists to improve knowledge of regional marketing work. They will learn how to use logos and marketing materials in the most efficient way and how to present the quality improvement recommendations. The program includes visits to a bakery, a store, a cafe and a restaurant.

In September the Polotsk specialists will go to Latvia’s Kraslava where they will get familiar with the operation of farms, a recreation facility, a museum of bread, a village house, a center of craftsmen in Ludza, a guest house, a brewery, a fishing farm, and manufacturers of home-made wine, baked bread, cakes, pizzas and pies and wine snails.

The project Bella Cuisine currently brings together 30 catering organizations from Vitebsk Oblast (restaurants, cafes, guest houses, farmsteads and food products manufacturers), including companies from Polotsk District, Lepel District, Glubokoye District, Verkhnedvinsk District and Miory District. Each district is represented by six organizations.

A joint Bella Cuisine route of culinary heritage will be elaborated. There are also plans to hold some activities aimed to promote this heritage. Belarus’ partners in this project boast rich culinary traditions and special culinary heritage. The improvements in the culinary services sector should become one of the strong points of the local tourism industry, the Polotsk District Executive Committee is convinced.