"Kaniv Delicacies": a festival of authentic food in Cherkasy region in support of defenders

The "Kanivski Naidky" festival took place in Kaniv, combining ancient culinary traditions and modern gastronomic trends. The event was organized by the NGO "KanivFest" with the support of the "MHP-Hromadi" Charitable Foundation within the framework of the "Time to Act, Ukraine" social initiatives competition.

The festival aimed to preserve intangible cultural heritage and promote authentic dishes of the Kaniv region. At the same time, the event also had a charitable mission — to raise funds for the purchase of a multi-purpose Bravery-M unmanned platform for soldiers from the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Volodymyr Monomakh.

Kaniv is a unique place, a land with a rich history that is worth discovering. But even on holidays, we remember that the war continues. Therefore, every entrepreneur who presents their products donates a part of their profit to equipment for our soldiers. As part of the "MHP Poruch" program, we will also join in purchasing such necessary equipment for the country's defense capabilities.

The highlight of the event was a culinary presentation by Illia Demkovskyi, brand chef of the MHP Culinary Center. The team of chefs prepared three dishes for the guests according to ancient recipes with a modern twist — bread soup, shashlik with baked apples, and pike perch with celery root. These dishes could be tasted for a donation to support the fundraising for the military.

We take ancient recipes, their ingredients and values, and prepare them in a modern interpretation that will be more familiar and comfortable for the consumer. In terms of taste and sensations, the dishes will be Ukrainian, but modern and familiar in appearance, which we are used to eating every day or ordering in establishments.

The festival was accompanied by master classes, performances by folk groups, sports competitions, and a fair of craft products from local entrepreneurs.

Next year, we plan to scale up — attract more artists, new recipes, and even launch a YouTube channel with traditional Ukrainian dishes. We want these recipes to come alive in local restaurants and become part of Kaniv's gastro-tourism.

In total, "Kanivski Naidky" not only gave guests an atmosphere of warmth and unity but also raised over 60,000 hryvnias to support Ukrainian defenders.

The All-Ukrainian competition of social initiatives "Time to Act, Ukraine!" has been held for the tenth year in a row and is implemented by the "MHP-Hromadi" Charitable Foundation, whose mission is to make communities places where people want to live. Over 10 years, within the framework of the competition, the Foundation has supported 552 projects, investing over UAH 42 million. Thanks to this, over 3.2 million Ukrainians have experienced real changes in their communities.