Eastern European Fermentation with Anastasia Zolotarev Saturday 4 July

Saturday 4 July 

Fermentation sits quietly at the heart of how people have lived well for generations. Long before refrigeration or modern food systems, it was a way of preserving abundance, deepening flavour, and supporting health using the simplest of ingredients. Across cultures, fermentation tells a story of patience, care, and connection — to food, to tradition, and to one another.

In this class, we return to that way of living. 

Together, we’ll explore the rich fermentation traditions of Eastern Europe with Anastasia Zolotarev, learning not just how to make ferments, but why they matter. From gut health to seasonal eating, fermentation offers a practical and powerful way to bring more nourishment, flavour, and rhythm into everyday life.

We'll roll up our sleeves and make traditional Eastern European ferments and probiotic drinks together, then sit down to a seasonal lunch inspired by what we create. 

You will learn all about the various ferments that can then be a grounding way and understanding to explore fermentation even more. Anastasia will also share her knowledge on how to include ferments in your cooking, bringing dishes together, storing ferments, exploring various flavours as well as the history, traditions and science of staple Eastern European fermentation as a form of preservation. 

You'll walk away with valuable life skills, knowing how to use simple staple ingredients and turning them into lasting staples. You'll also take home your own sauerkraut, adjika and other bits and pieces leftover from the class. 

Workshop:

Two types of sauerkraut (Ukrainian soured cabbage/kvashena kapusta) from scratch including white cabbage with apples and carrots and a cabbage with beetroot and lingonberries. A spicy and vibrant fermented capsicum adjika, fermented green or red tomatoes (variety dependant on availability), lacto-fermented dilly garliky cucumbers and beetroot kvass.

Lunch

Eggplant and adjika ikra dip with rye bread

Fermentation platter with various homemade ferments including a mixture of seasonal ferments

Vegetarian borsch with kefir dough pie filled with seasonal ingredients

Chocolate buckwheat kefir cake with sour cherries 

Kvass (non alcoholic) & local wines included

This is a completely vegetarian meal. 

We will send you home with jars of Sauerkraut & Adjika. Please bring more jars if you'd like to take another ferment home. 

Anastasia Zolotarev 

Anastasia Zolotarev is an Eastern European–Australian recipe developer, food writer, and creative, as well as the author of Sour Cherries and Sunflowers. A former contestant on MasterChef Australia, she is also known for her immersive pop-up dining experiences that celebrate the flavours and stories of Eastern Europe.

She was born in Belarus, where her mother was raised, and soon after moved to Kharkiv, Ukraine, her father’s hometown. Growing up in a multigenerational household with her parents and grandparents, she formed many of her earliest and most cherished memories around family and food.

In 1994, Anastasia migrated to Australia with her parents. Although she returned occasionally to visit relatives and friends, it wasn’t until later in life that she developed a deeper interest in the food, culture, and history of her heritage. In her early twenties, she completed a double degree at the University of Technology Sydney, earning a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and a Bachelor of Tourism (Marketing).

She began her career in marketing with a large events and hospitality company in Sydney, where her passion for food was reignited and ultimately led her to pursue a place on MasterChef Australia. Following the show, Anastasia gained hands-on experience in several acclaimed Sydney restaurants, including Firedoor, Quay, and Bells at Killcare.

Driven by her love of food and creativity, she began developing recipes, exploring food photography, and creating content for brands such as Harris Farm Markets and HelloFresh. In 2017, after a long period away, Anastasia returned to Ukraine and Belarus. The trip proved transformative, inspiring her to document, research, and cook the dishes of her heritage with renewed purpose.

Anastasia is passionate about connecting food with community. She has hosted fundraising events in support of Ukraine, including initiatives for UNICEF Ukraine and organisations supporting missing children. She also runs workshops and private dining experiences, where she teaches home cooks how to prepare traditional Eastern European dishes and curates menus for special occasions

The class runs from 10:00am to 2pm and Anastasia and the team at Moonacres look forward to seeing you soon.