Yuriy LobovCommunity profile

Born in St. Petersburg, Yuri Lobov has been drawn to the culinary world, particularly to cooking meat dishes, since childhood. He made his first kebabs at the age of five, guided by his grandmother, and gastronomy has remained his passion ever since.

However, Yuri's path to becoming a chef wasn't immediate; he initially chose to study art history at St. Petersburg State University. Over time, life took its course, and Yuri made the final decision to pursue a career as a chef. His professional journey is a story of self-improvement: Yuri gained knowledge and honed his skills under the guidance of experienced chefs he worked with, as well as at the SVCh culinary school. In St. Petersburg, he is best known for his work at the Meat Coin restaurant.

In Yuri Lobov's life, the roles of chef and art historian have merged in a vibrant and organic way. The M&B menu features not only flavorful meat dishes, but also original creations inspired by the history of St. Petersburg's artistic life in the early 20th century, as well as the creative works and even culinary preferences of the "Prival Komedianov" (Comedians' Rest) ensemble. For example, the menu includes lamb loin kebab, one of Vladimir Mayakovsky's favorite dishes, as well as potato patties "à la Yesenin."

"The menu is designed with the historical context of the restaurant's location in mind," comments Yuri Lobov. "I took dishes that were popular in St. Petersburg in the early 20th century as inspiration and prepared them in a modern style, using all the latest techniques."

Yuri is a proponent of a diverse and multifaceted approach to meat in gastronomy. In preparing dishes, he uses all possible methods of processing ingredients: cooking over an open flame, hot and cold smoking, sous vide, as well as braising, roasting, and more.

"I love gastronomy for its endless creative possibilities. For me, the kitchen is a territory of experimentation that lasts a lifetime, with essentially no limits," notes the chef. "The combination of flavors, ingredients, textures, and cooking styles is endless, and it's an incredibly fascinating and exciting process. And, of course, for me, gastronomy is an art."