0:00:01.550,0:00:02.034 Foodie culture is obsessed[br]with authenticity. 0:00:04.656,0:00:06.738 But when we get Moroccan honey, 0:00:06.738,0:00:08.360 San Marzano tomatoes, 0:00:08.360,0:00:11.152 that means shipping food, [br]carbon emissions, 0:00:11.152,0:00:14.089 plenty of waste and excess packaging 0:00:14.089,0:00:17.639 for food that, sometimes, [br]not even as fresh or delicious. 0:00:17.639,0:00:21.100 Adding COVID-19,[br]and you have a whole new problem. 0:00:21.100,0:00:24.188 Frozen supply chains or closed borders. 0:00:24.188,0:00:28.085 That's changing how we eat and[br]forcing us to also look what's local. 0:00:28.085,0:00:32.170 Some countries like Russia [br]have a lot of experience with this. 0:00:32.455,0:00:34.748 MADE IN RUSSIA 0:00:36.175,0:00:39.191 (Alec) Jay Klouz has been[br]a nightclub promoter in Spain, 0:00:39.191,0:00:43.774 a tour boat owner in France,[br]and a celebrity chef in Australia. 0:00:43.774,0:00:49.054 Now, the American lives in Russia [br]where he's added cheesemaker to the list. 0:00:49.054,0:00:54.050 (Jay) Every person has a different hand[br]and this hand makes cheese. 0:00:54.050,0:00:57.083 You could be more aggressive[br]and you'll have another cheese. 0:00:57.083,0:00:59.567 You could be more careful[br]and you'll have another cheese. 0:00:59.567,0:01:04.166 You can even go half a degree higher[br]and you'll have another cheese. 0:01:04.166,0:01:07.392 (Alec) Klouz uses local ingredients [br]to make European favorites, 0:01:07.392,0:01:09.718 like feta, gouda, and ricotta. 0:01:09.718,0:01:13.805 Flavors that began to make their way here [br]after the fall of the Soviet Union. 0:01:16.366,0:01:20.256 (Alec) So, I grew up in Wisconsin, [br]and we always had, you know, 0:01:20.256,0:01:26.190 we had cheddar, pepper jack, all sorts of,[br]you know, real sharp cheeses. 0:01:26.190,0:01:27.108 Love this stuff. 0:01:27.108,0:01:28.771 And then I came to Russia, 0:01:28.771,0:01:31.975 and it was like, cheese was white [br]and didn't taste like anything. 0:01:31.975,0:01:34.208 Tastes like plastic. 0:01:34.208,0:01:37.304 So, what made you decide to start[br]making your own cheese? 0:01:37.304,0:01:40.126 You know, one thing you learn in Russia,[br]the winters are rough. 0:01:40.126,0:01:42.190 The Russians prepare for winter 0:01:42.190,0:01:45.972 so, being prepared means, [br]also eating good stuff. 0:01:48.570,0:01:51.809 (Alec) For years, Russia imported [br]as much cheese as it produced 0:01:51.809,0:01:54.887 until 2014. 0:01:54.887,0:01:58.206 Russia annexed Crimea, 0:01:58.206,0:02:01.842 the US and the EU slap sanctions on Russia, 0:02:01.842,0:02:05.827 and President Putin responded by[br]banning food imports from those countries. 0:02:07.451,0:02:10.965 Cheesemakers like Klouz [br]saw sales go way up. 0:02:10.965,0:02:13.901 Russian production[br]increased by at least 50%. 0:02:14.641,0:02:17.798 - (Klouz) Please don't forget to return my spoon.[br]- (Sofia) Yes, return the spoon. Thanks. 0:02:19.249,0:02:24.991 After Russia stopped purchasing[br]cheeses abroad, 0:02:24.991,0:02:28.943 the cheese market changed a lot. 0:02:28.943,0:02:31.157 So we started buying here. 0:02:31.157,0:02:35.204 We are very satisfied[br]with the price and quality. 0:02:36.906,0:02:39.921 (Alec) And how have the current sanctions[br]changed the industry? 0:02:39.921,0:02:43.817 (Klouz) With the sanctions there's [br]more interest in the people making cheese. 0:02:43.817,0:02:45.820 Like, "Oh, we don't need you, [br]we have Jay." 0:02:46.142,0:02:47.271 I'm like, "Yeah, right." 0:02:47.271,0:02:49.523 Fifty kilos a day,[br]how am I going to feed Russians? 0:02:51.149,0:02:54.469 "Jay will save us!", and I'm like, "What?"[br](laughter) 0:02:55.386,0:02:56.738 People are funny here. 0:02:59.408,0:03:02.789 (Alec) But some people are more confident[br]in local producers ability 0:03:02.789,0:03:06.287 to fill the giant cheesy hole[br]left by the counter sanctions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Klrill Sharshukov imported Italian cheese 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 until the food embargo forced him[br]to start making his own. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Sharshuko) Here we have Caciocavallo cheese. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A classic Italian Caciocavallo cheese. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It is fermented for about 6 to 12 months 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and has a specific, light taste. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And here we added fenugreek seeds. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Tastes like cheese with with walnut,[br]kind of sweet dessert-y crunch. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It doesn't have nuts? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 No, no. This doesn't have any nuts,[br]but is has that flavor. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I don't know if this is allowed on TV, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but these seeds are[br]healthy for men, apparently. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So this is delicious and healthy for me?[br](laughter) 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Alec) After the embargo, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the government started giving[br]out subsidies and tax breaks 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to boost domestic production. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Something Sharshuko believes 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is giving Russians a chance to catch up[br]to the world's cheesemakers. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Sharshuko) The longer this goes on,[br]the more experiences we have. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We reproduce Italy's cheeses here, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 replace its classic cheeses,[br]and produce them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So it would be very difficult to return. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But the Russian cheese revolution [br]isn't for everybody. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Imported foods were always[br]too expensive for most Russians. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Meaning locally-made burrata will probably[br]never be on their shopping list. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And economists are skeptical 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that the people [br]who could afford fancy cheese 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are going to see local versions as anything[br]other than a secondary substitute. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we imported cheese, it had quality. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We, the small portion of affluent people,[br]got used to it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When that cheese disappeared, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 those people stopped buying[br]Russian copies of cheese 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because they don't trust the quality. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Well, I hear from the cheese producers-- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Russian cheese producers-- 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 who say sanctions have been a huge help. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Those you spoke to are very few[br]because, as a matter of fact, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 90% of the Russian cheese market 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is mass market cheeses. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I wanted to ask what will happen 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to Russian cheesemakers[br]if sanctions are lifted tomorrow? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There will be[br]competition again for 15 to 20% 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of wealthy people in Russia. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 People who have invested[br]in cheese production 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 will be hit hard. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Alec) The drive for food Independence[br]has protected Russia 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from supply disruptions during [br]the pandemic, the government says. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's also helped a fledgling,[br]farm-to-table movement here. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 - Five more minutes.[br]- No, two and a half. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 (Alec) Ivan and Sergey Berezutskly have[br]their own farm to produce ingredients 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for their restaurant, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 which in 2019 was named [br]one of the best in the world. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's a simple dish: potato with caviar. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Here you are. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The majority of our guests[br]need healthy and fresh food. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is a development Russia[br]and other countries have come to. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The sanctions have[br]accelerated the process.