It’s a lazy Sunday evening on Park Street, Calcutta. You sit down at your favorite spot, and there it is—Chicken à la Kiev. Your favorite dish. But did you know this iconic dish owes its place in India’s culinary scene to one of the most fascinating men in history?
Meet Boris Lisanevich: Ukrainian ballet dancer, aviator, tiger hunter, hotelier, and, oh, keeper of a pet python.
Boris was born in 1905 in Odessa, Ukraine, to a wealthy family. His path seemed set for the Russian military—until history intervened.
In 1917, the Russian Revolution turned everything upside down. To shield 12-year-old Boris from the new communist regime, his family made a daring decision: they enrolled him in a ballet school. Ballet became his disguise, but destiny had other plans.
One fateful night, a fire engulfed the Odessa Opera House during a performance. Amid the chaos, Boris saw his chance. He slipped away from the flames—and from Soviet Russia.
He was free, but freedom came with its own struggles.
Boris wandered through Europe, taking up odd jobs. His ballet skills landed him a spot with a Russian ballet company, and soon, he danced his way across the world.
Eventually, his journey brought him to India—and to the bustling city of Calcutta.
In Calcutta, Boris established the exclusive 300 Club, a luxurious hub for India’s elites. Located on Theatre Road, it became the place where power and privilege mingled under grand chandeliers.
And guess what dish became the star of this culinary haven?
Yes, Chicken à la Kiev!
Boris introduced the buttery delight to India’s palate. But his story doesn’t end there. The 300 Club wasn’t just about food—it was a stage for intrigue, adventure, and eccentricity.
The club’s membership was straight out of a royal saga: Maharajas, European elites, and power brokers filled its halls. Boris, ever the showman, was their host, entertainer, and sometimes, co-conspirator.
He even hunted tigers with the Maharaja of Cooch Behar.
And it was through this friendship that Boris crossed paths with King Tribhuvan of Nepal.
Rumor has it they plotted the downfall of Nepal’s Rana regime in Boris’s chambers. True or not, King Tribhuvan eventually regained his throne, and Boris became a legend in Nepal too.
The 300 Club wasn’t just about politics and royalty. It was a playground for Boris’s wild ideas.
Like the time he brought in a 17-foot python from a hunting trip. Boris even considered painting the snake in the club’s colors. Eccentric, much?
But beneath the theatrics, Boris was a culinary innovator. His Chicken à la Kiev, with its crispy crust and molten butter core, captivated Calcutta’s elite.
This dish, originally from his Ukrainian homeland, became a staple of the city’s vibrant food culture.
Boris’s legacy didn’t end in Calcutta. He moved to Nepal, where he earned the title “Father of Nepal Tourism.”
But his life wasn’t without controversy. His enthusiasm for hunting endangered species, including tigers, left a troubling mark.
However, every choice comes with a cost. Boris’s intense enthusiasm for hunting endangered species, such as tigers, contributed to their drastic decline in numbers.
His adventurous life, a tapestry woven across borders and time, remains captivating, but we must also remain conscious of its consequences.
In fact, attempting to fathom the complexities of Boris’s life is no easy feat and this is precisely why tales like his, need retelling across generations.
Boris Lisanevich’s life is a whirlwind of glamour, adventure, and complexity. From ballet stages to jungle hunts, from Calcutta’s kitchens to Nepal’s tourism industry—his story is as rich as the butter inside a perfect Chicken à la Kiev.
Sources:
Peissel, M. (1990). Tiger for breakfast : the story of Boris of Kathmandu. ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA8603893X
British Association For Cemeteries In South Asia (BACSA) (R. Llewellyn-Jones, Ed.; No. 3; Vol. 6). himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/jo
Palamarchuk, M. (2023, June 11). The man from Odesa who discovered the roof of the world. Kyiv Post. kyivpost.com/post/18042
Suraiya, J. (2004, March 29). The other 300 club. The Times of India. timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/the-othe
Kitsoft. (n.d.). Ukrainians Who Changed the World: Boris Lissanevitch, Odesa Adventurer who “Discovered” Nepal. The Gaze. thegaze.media/news/ukrainian
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