Public catering features in everyday life in Central Kazakhstan in the 1950-1970-ies

Abstract

The aim of this article is to study the characteristics of catering in the cities of Central Kazakhstan in the 1950-1970-ies in the aspect of history of everyday life. The aim identified the following objectives: to study the development of public catering in the cities of Central Kazakhstan, to identify the quality and level of service of catering, to determine the structure and diet, to compare the peculiarities of national cuisines. The article was written on the base of documentary sources (not used previously) from the state archive of the Karaganda region, as well as memoirs of old residents. A comprehensive and critical analysis of statistical data allowed to analyze the structure and diet of the urban population of Central Kazakhstan in the 1950-1970-ies. In the conditions of modernization of all aspects of life of the Kazakh society, many problems related to the revision of the role of historical science in the society arose to the domestic historical science. One of the important tasks of Kazakhstan's historical science which requires urgent solution is the revision of existing and introduction of new directions in historical research. One of unexplored issue is the history of people's daily life in various aspects. In Soviet times everyday life did not found its mass distribution and fundamental development, although it was considered. Study of this subject in the Kazakh historiography is appropriate and necessary. As it is not directed to the consideration of the peaks of development of society, state and prominent figures, but to study of ordinary people lives, the masses. The Soviet public catering in 1950-1970-ies experienced significant changes. Using scientific theories, a new understanding of the meanings of the words ``health{''} and ``quality of food{''} were the main principles in a correct and balanced diet. In the industrial regions of the country, including in Central Kazakhstan, the system of public catering began to expand everywhere: canteens, snack bars, restaurants, cafes. Workers, employees and students were declared to be main customers of the catering in directive documents. As the multinationality of Central Kazakhstan was considered, the system of public catering had days and months of national cuisines: Kazakh, Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Georgian, Uzbek, etc. In the course of the study the author came to the following conclusions. In general, during the 1950-1970-ies a significant expansion of establishments of public catering can be observed, as well as improving of food supply and consequently the quality of supply of the citizens of Central Kazakhstan. Analysis of consumption structure and diet of different types of food in certain categories showed that by the 1970-ies in daily practice people increasingly began to consume foods rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. However, as it was evidenced by the materials of interviews with residents, the shortage of many foods remained: citrus, sweets, fruits, etc. In turn, the deficit caused such integral features of Soviet trade as ``blat{''} (profitable connections) and a queues.