{"id":51065,"date":"2025-06-24T02:11:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T01:11:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/?p=51065"},"modified":"2025-06-24T02:17:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T01:17:07","slug":"2400-kilos-of-pilaf-with-a-view-of-the-tower-the-uzbek-culture-and-food-festival-returns-to-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/londoncult.co.uk\/en\/2400-kilos-of-pilaf-with-a-view-of-the-tower-the-uzbek-culture-and-food-festival-returns-to-london\/","title":{"rendered":"2,400 Kilos of Pilaf with a View of the Tower: The Uzbek Culture and Food Festival Returns to London"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

London Welcomes the East<\/h4>\n\n\n
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Photo by Alexander Tatiev<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Fruits, pilaf<\/em>, spices, traditional clothing, and Uzbek flags fluttering under the English sky \u2014 right by the iconic Tower Bridge, the Uzbek Culture and Food Festival<\/em><\/a> unfolded once again. This year\u2019s event is set to surpass last year\u2019s record of 30,000 visitors \u2014 and, let\u2019s be clear, the first day of this two-day festival is already a success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival stands out for its full authenticity. Every walnut, every dried apricot, even the melons sold at the stalls were brought over from Uzbekistan. A small Eastern-style market stretches along the park pathways, evoking the atmosphere of a caravanserai: mounds of dried fruit, fragrant spices, almonds, and walnuts. Children in chapans<\/em> wander by, and at the stall selling kurut<\/em>, the queue is as long as outside a London pub on a Friday night.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Photo by Igor Maryash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

From the speakers: live vocals, the sharp and rhythmic sounds of the doira<\/em> and surnay<\/em>. The crowd responds: women in traditional dresses start dancing, someone waves an Uzbek flag above the crowd, children clap along to the beat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gastronomy on Wheels<\/h4>\n\n\n
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Photo by Alexander Tatiev<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The festival marks the final stop of the Uzbek Caravan<\/em><\/a> project \u2014 a culinary expedition across the UK. In the weeks leading up to the festival, this mobile kitchen, which won the British Street Food Awards 2025, toured six British cities, offering passersby a taste of real Uzbek plov<\/em>. This wasn\u2019t just a food truck, but a mini-festival on wheels, a cultural ambassador infused with the aromas of cumin and fresh coriander. It journeyed through Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff, Oxford, and finally ended its trip in London.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Uzbek pilaf. Photo by uzbekculture.co.uk<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Of course, festival cooking comes with its own challenges. According to festival organiser Muzaffar Sadykov, the team has once again faced overwhelming demand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLast year the queue for plov was far too long. We try to speed up, but people keep coming \u2014 and everyone wants plov. Right now we have 40 people working \u2014 20 cooks and 20 assistants \u2014 but they simply can\u2019t keep up. We\u2019ve already cooked 1,200 kilos of plov just today \u2014 that\u2019s over a ton \u2014 and we\u2019re planning the same amount tomorrow. Last year, we made exactly one ton per day. So hopefully, there\u2019ll be enough plov for everyone,\u201d<\/em> Muzaffar smiles, looking at the long line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art, Design, and Craftsmanship<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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But the festival isn\u2019t just about food and music. A dedicated pavilion showcases Uzbek art and craft: jewellery, carpets, traditional knives, shoes, literature \u2014 even fashion collections inspired by Uzbek patterns. Young designers present modern interpretations of traditional dress, while artisans demonstrate ancient techniques live for the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who’s Behind the Festival<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The idea for the festival emerged in 2020 and is the result of years of work by Muzaffar Sadykov and Kamola Makhmudova. From the beginning, their aim was not just to create a holiday for the diaspora, but to build an open platform for cultural dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Uzbek Culture and Food Festival is now open!<\/a><\/blockquote>