RI COOKBOOK AUTHOR POLINA CHESNAKOVA
NEWPORT, RI (October 6, 2025) Newport, RI’s Charter Books is hosting their first cookbook event with RI author Polina Chesnakova who will present her recently published cookbook, Chesnok: Cooking from My Corner of the Diaspora: Recipes from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. Chesnok is not only a cookbook, it’s the intimate story of a family, their movement through political events, and holding onto culture. In a heartfelt book about her heritage, Polina shares family recipes from her home kitchen that inspire us to tap into the cuisines of the post-soviet countries.
Polina will be demonstrating how to make the Varenyky (stuffed dumpling) recipe in her book, followed by a food tasting menu of savory and sweet dishes from Chesnok, a Q&A with the audience, and book signing. This event will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 6:00 pm at Pivotal Brewing in Newport. Pivotal Brewing will be offering a complimentary drink (non-alcoholic options available) with each ticket. Guests will receive a signed copy of Chesnok. Charter Books will also be offering a free giveaway of other recently published cookbooks at the event to guests attending.
Tickets for this event are available for purchase on the charterbookstore.com/events website. Remember to share the event with your family and friends!
POLINA CHESNAKOVA EVENT DETAILS
Date: WENDESDAY, OCTOBER 29 2025
Time: 6:00pm – 7:00 pm
Place: PIVOTAL BREWING Newport 140 Broadway, Newport, R.I. 02840
TICKETS: $55 for a single ticket (cooking class/food tasting, 1 complimentary drink, 1 signed copy of Chesnok) $65 for a couple’s ticket (cooking class/food tasting, 2 complimentary drinks, 1 signed copy of Chesnok)
ABOUT CHESNOK
A lovingly-documented collection of recipes and stories from growing up and cooking in the Soviet diaspora, by one of the industry’s brightest stars.
Chesnok: Recipes with Love from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Beyond is Polina Chesnakova’s third cookbook, a love letter to the food of her childhood. Born in Ukraine to Russian and Armenian parents from Georgia, she grew up cooking and eating at the hip of her mother and aunts.
From Georgian tkemali (sour plum sauce) and Armenian gata (butter pastry) to Ukrainian varenyky (dumplings) and Russian golubtsy (stuffed cabbage rolls) and medovik (honey cake), Chesnok showcases over 110 vibrant regional recipes. Essays, stories, and profiles of the amazing cooks in her life are peppered amongst recipes as diverse as the communities from which they blossomed and the immigrant experience they were subsequently passed down in.
Chesnok paints a portrait of the Soviet diaspora through food, and is for the children of that diaspora, but it is also for anyone looking to expand their palate and pantry and learn the rich history of a people through their most cherished recipes and traditions.
ABOUT POLINA CHESNAKOVA
Polina Chesnakova was born in Ukraine to Russian and Armenian parents from the country of Georgia. She was raised in a tight-knit Rhode Island community of refugees from all over the former Soviet Union, and has cooked and baked in a handful of professional kitchens. She’s had her blog (now newsletter) Chesnok since 2015, and her work has been published in Saveur, Epicurious, The Washington Post, and Food 52. She has written two cookbooks: Hot Cheese and Everyday Cake. She worked for Book Larder in Seattle and presided over the cooking class program as the Culinary Director from 2021-2023. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband, Lee, and son, Anton.
ABOUT CHARTER BOOKS
Founded in 2020 at 8 Broadway in Newport, RI, Charter Books is an independent bookstore offering a wide selection of new books covering all genres and categories. Charter Books’ ever-evolving inventory is conveniently accessible at its Lower Broadway location or online. Charter Books furthers the customer experience with its Signed First Editions Club, Charter Kids Book Box, Staff Picks and exclusive programming with community partners to bring in authors & guest speakers for informative and open-dialogue events. Charter Books is open Mon – Sat 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M, Sun 12:00 – 5:00 P.M. or online at www.charterbookstore.com.
