i. Biography
Andrei Shmakov’s work at Yao Yao in Chicago sits in the register of New Russian cuisine, but the point is not novelty for its own sake. The food is built with a precise, almost architectural sense of flavor, and the restaurant’s Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024 and 2025 confirms that approach in trade terms. Pickled fish has become a signature, and the two flavored pickled bowl—pickled fish set against boiled beef in spicy Sichuan sauce—shows how contrast is used here as a working method rather than a slogan.
The Climb
Marine College and Cooking courses provided the first structure for Andrei Shmakov’s craft, and that early discipline reads clearly in the way his career has developed. The progression from training to work as chef on a passenger ship points to a kitchen formation built around stamina, routine, and the ability to hold standards while in motion. Mentoring at S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 (2018) added another professional layer to that path. It places Andrei Shmakov in a role where experience is not only practiced in service, but also passed through an international platform, after a route that moved from classroom preparation to shipboard work without losing focus. As Head Chef of SAVVA Restaurant at the Metropol Hotel, host of MasterChef Junior, and chef of Yao Yao, Andrei Shmakov works across restaurant leadership and public-facing culinary work. The range is real, but the throughline is control: different stages, same demand for precision.
Today
Pickled fish at Yao Yao is set up as a signature in three sizes, including an extra-large version for up to six people. That format makes the dish a table anchor rather than a single-portion statement, and it gives the restaurant a clear center of gravity in something briny, direct, and meant for sharing. The two flavored pickled bowl extends that language by splitting pickled fish and boiled beef in spicy Sichuan sauce. In one dish, Andrei Shmakov keeps the Russian frame visible while working with contrast in a practical way: cured and fresh, cool and spicy, familiar and sharpened for Chicago.
Signature
Andrei's signature dishes include pickled fish, two flavored pickled, and wontons in chili oil. Taken together, they show a kitchen that favors legible flavors and tight composition. The thread is not ornament, but a consistent way of working tradition into forms that hold up in a modern dining room.
In Their Words “among the leaders of New Russian cuisine, Andrei Shmakov is committed to preserving a traditional cuisine, while modifying it for the 21st century.”
Recognition
Andrei's honors include Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024). Yao Yao received a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024 and 2025, underscoring the restaurant’s place in Chicago’s dining field.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Andrei
Where did Andrei Shmakov train or study?
Andrei Shmakov trained at Marine College and Cooking courses.
What recognition has Andrei Shmakov received?
Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024).
