Born in the village of Pristan, Saikal Mukalaeva is currently one of the most sought-after catering chefs in the Tyup district. In an interview with a Turmush correspondent, the mother of four shared how her childhood passion for cooking became her life's work.
Saikal, born in 1994 in the village of Pristan in the Jeti-Oguz district, now resides in Tasma in the Tyup district. “Cooking has always been a part of my life, as my mother sold ashlyanfu, and I decided to follow in her footsteps. I still remember how at the age of 12 I earned my first money from selling ashlyanfu and bought beautiful shoes with it,” she recounts.
After finishing school, Saikal got married quite early. The time spent on maternity leave was not wasted — it was a period when she actively developed her skills. Saikal worked in the food industry even in Bishkek, but she achieved the greatest success after returning to her native village.
She began her path to success with advice from her mother-in-law. After trying a dish prepared by Saikal, her mother-in-law suggested she sell it to local residents during holidays. Ashlyanfu turned out to be so popular that sales became regular in the summer.
However, the dream of working as a catering chef remained relevant for Saikal for 15 years. “There were very few professional chefs working in catering before. At first, I took orders for salads and pastries for village celebrations. When my children grew up, I decided to take decisive action: I underwent training and practice with well-known chefs, gathered a team, and fully dedicated myself to this business,” Saikal shares.
At a professional level, her team has been operating for three years. Saikal believes that the time spent on maternity leave allowed her to carefully plan her actions and implement them.
Currently, Saikal's team provides full culinary support for various celebrations (“toi-maarake”). They cook both on-site and accept orders for home-cooked meals.
According to Mukalaeva, working in someone else's kitchen with unfamiliar tools requires special skills. During the 5-6 days of preparation for a celebration, the chefs often become close to the hosts. “For us, the most important thing is to receive ‘bata’ (blessing) and sincere gratitude from people. In such moments, all fatigue disappears,” says Saikal.
Additionally, Saikal actively maintains a blog on social media, where she shares her everyday life in the village, moments from celebrations, and her original recipes.
Her husband, who is 37 years old, works as a builder and, in his spare time, engages in animal husbandry and farming. The family is raising four children and lives together with her mother-in-law.
Saikal Mukalaeva does not intend to stop at what she has achieved. Her ambitious goal is to open her own restaurant that will offer not only Kyrgyz cuisine but also exquisite dishes from various cultures around the world.
