From February 24 to March 2, visitors to the Moscow on the Wave fish markets got to enjoy pollock roe as part of the Moscow Maslenitsa celebrations. Over 650 people tried blini with pollock roe, with 90% praising its taste and texture and sharing their ideas for dishes featuring pollock roe. On the final day of Maslenitsa, Oleg Koroban, chef at the Culinary Studio, member of the International Alliance of Culinary Professionals, and Speaker of the Siberian Chefs Guild, along with Alexander Meshkov from Battle of the Chefs (Season 4) held a pollock cook-off. They amazed guests with their elegant crepes, garnished with cream and pepper sauce, pollock roe, and fresh pollock, plus fritters with pollock liver, beetroot hummus, and crispy pollock-shaped chips. Celebrity guest Serge Gorely from TNT Channel's Comedy Club was impressed by these fresh takes on the familiar wild white fish. Meanwhile, at a dedicated master class, guests learned to prepare pollock dishes themselves, with the new culinary creations delighting both adults and children.
“Pollock roe is valued for its soft flavor, health benefits, accessibility, and unique nutritional value. In fact, we often call it nature’s supplement pills. We produce roe on specially equipped production lines aboard RFC’s new super trawlers—the most modern and technologically advanced vessels. The roe is primarily harvested in the Sea of Okhotsk during spring. Even though both the appearance and taste of pollock roe differ significantly from those of salmon roe, which most of us are more used to, its nutritional value is just as high. The product’s value stems directly from its marine origin. As an ocean-dwelling fish species, pollock contains the full range of vitamins and minerals essential for human health. On a chemical level, the product has a variety of compounds with great health benefits: Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, B, C, E and PP, plus micro and macronutrients—iodine, iron, phosphorus, and sodium. Pollock roe is also unique from a gastronomic perspective. Russians are accustomed to separated roe, which is used in spreads and appetizers. Asian countries have taken it much further: they pickle roe, they salt-cure whole skeins, they even eat it raw with spices. We want this product to gain widespread popularity among our consumers and become part of the country’s culinary culture.”
Pollock is a unique, natural, and eco-friendly product. It's easy to cook and can develop new taste profiles on its own or when combined with other ingredients. During the O!Mega Taste 2025 festival, chefs will help consumers rediscover the wealth of health benefits found in pollock—a wild-caught fish frozen at sea to preserve its natural quality. Promoting high-quality, safe, deeply processed pollock products among the Russian public remains the festival's key goal. O! Mega Taste has a triple format, as the festivities take place in restaurants, outdoors, and at retail locations. The events’ primary goal is to integrate pollock dishes into Russian food culture. After tasting dishes made by chefs, consumers will be able to prepare them at home.
