The Ministry of Culture has established an honorary title for Moldovans who promote our country’s image abroad. Oxana Crețu, founder of a restaurant called Inima (Heart) in the French city of Bordeaux, has been named Ambassador of Moldovan Gastronomy.
“We thus recognize her commitment to promote traditional Moldovan cuisine, bringing local products to the fore and aligning national gastronomy with international trends. This is how we contribute together, through people and with exceptional people, to consolidating our intangible heritage and boosting the attractiveness of our country to tourists. It is what we value most”, said Minister Sergiu Prodan, as quoted in a press release.
Living for almost two decades in France, where she went to study arts, Oxana Crețu managed to open her “Heart” there. This is the name of the restaurant she created in Bordeaux, where the flavors of her childhood at home blend harmoniously with the French cuisine. Equally appreciated by locals and tourists visiting the city, Inima has become a top restaurant, being included in the Michelin and Gault & Millau guides.
In 2024, her work received another recognition, as Oxana was selected, among other top French chefs, to create the menu for the Paris Olympic Games. Over the past several months, Oxana has been visiting Moldova regularly, where, in partnership with the Cricova Winery, she is reinventing the gastronomic concept of this emblematic place for Moldova.
