Maria Ilyinichna Fomina
Born in 1934, I began my culinary journey later in life, working as a cook in a kindergarten after a career in manual labor. I’ve always believed that food should be simple, organic, and made with love, which is why my traditional Moldovan “Placinta” is a family favorite—fried without oil and finished with melted cow butter. My cooking reflects the rich, mixed heritage of Bessarabia, blending Ukrainian, Russian, Moldovan, Bulgarian, and Romanian influences with local herbs and flavors.
