Steppe-to-Sea Flavours Shine As Kazakhstan Hosts The Steppe And The Ocean Gala In Portugal’s Lisbon

Published on December 4, 2025

Under the softly lit arches of the historic EPUR restaurant in central Lisbon, the spirit of the Kazakh steppe mingled with Atlantic breezes on the evening of 27 November, as Embassy of Kazakhstan in Portugal hosted a gastronomic gala titled The Steppe and the Ocean. The event celebrated the thirty-fifth anniversary of Kazakhstan’s Declaration of State Sovereignty and offered Portuguese guests a curated taste of Kazakhstan’s rich culinary and cultural heritage.

For travellers and food-lovers alike, the evening was more than a diplomatic event, it was a seductive invitation to explore a land where endless grasslands meet mountain peaks, deserts mingle with rivers, and ancient nomadic traditions shape a unique gastronomic identity.

Bridging Eurasia through cuisine

The dinner was prepared by the celebrated Michelin-starred chef Vincent Farges and Kazakh culinary master Artem Kantsev, renowned for his work with Qazaq Gourmet and recently listed on the prestigious gastronomic ranking La Liste 2026. Their collaboration on traditional Kazakh dishes, re-imagined with finesse and Portuguese artistry, was met with high praise by distinguished guests, including cultural dignitaries such as Carlos Fontão Carvalho, president of the Portuguese Academy of Gastronomy.

The gala illustrated a simple yet powerful notion echoed by the Kazakh ambassador: that cuisine is more than nourishment, it is a vessel for hospitality, identity and storytelling.

Promoting travel to Kazakhstan: More than food

At the event, the ambassador signalled that this dinner was the first step of a broader cultural initiative titled Discover Kazakhstan Through the Five Senses. The programme aims to offer Portuguese, and more broadly European, audiences a deeper immersion into Kazakhstan’s art, music, crafts and lifestyle. Upcoming exhibitions are slated to showcase paintings, sculptures, traditional carpets, and live performances in various Portuguese cities.

For travellers, the gala serves as a compelling teaser for what Kazakhstan has to offer beyond its cuisine. The country’s tourism board promotes a vast swath of destinations, from soaring mountains and otherworldly canyons, to tranquil steppe and alpine lakes, suitable for adventure seekers, culture buffs, and those drawn to immersive, slow-travel experiences.

What awaits travellers: A spectrum of experiences

• Nature & wilderness: Vast steppes, deserts and dramatic rock formations (as seen in places such as the surreal singing dunes of Altyn-Emel National Park or deep red gorges like Charyn Canyon) make Kazakhstan a haven for outdoor adventure, hiking, and photography.
• Nomadic traditions & rural authenticity: Tours offering yurt-stays, horse riding, falconry or eagle-hunting demos let visitors step into the nomadic soul of Central Asia, far removed from typical tourist crowds.
• Urban contrasts & cultural richness: Cities like Almaty and Astana combine modern architecture, museums, vibrant bazaars, and traditional music and crafts scenes, offering history, art and cosmopolitan comforts.
• Culinary journey: Traditional cuisine, centred on dishes like Beshbarmak (boiled meat over flat noodles), meat-filled dumplings, hearty stews, and fermented mare’s milk, offers a visceral taste of nomadic heritage and communal hospitality.

Why the Lisbon Gala matters for travellers and cultural exchange

By presenting Kazakhstan’s food, culture and travel potential to a European audience, the Steppe and the Ocean gala does more than showcase dishes: it builds a bridge between two worlds. Diplomacy through gastronomy, art and shared experiences reminds us that travel is not just about sightseeing, it’s about connection, understanding, and discovering new rhythms of life.

For travellers reading this in 2025, this evening signals more than a one-off event: it’s the opening chord of a longer journey, one where Kazakhstan invites you to taste the steppe, hear the wind across its plains, ride under the open sky, and discover a land that is vast, welcoming, and infinitely layered.

In short, that plate of food at a well-curated gala in Lisbon may just be the first calm breath before stepping onto Kazakhstan’s boundless steppes, and falling in love with the world all over again.