Homemade Pelmeni

Gene Portnoy

Agency: Work And Company
Design Director: Gene Portnoy
Production: Aaron Brashear
Location: United States
Project Type: Produced
Client: Russian Dumpling Company
Product Launch Location: United States
Packaging Contents: Dumplings
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Plastic

The Russian Dumpling Co. got in touch after seeing The Good Dumpling concept that was posted on a packaging design blog, first to inquire if The Good Dumpling brand was available for purchase and secondly to do the redesign of their heritage line of pelmeni products.

Little did I know, that when we would have our first zoom meeting it would also be a reunion of long lost friends. The managing partner Boris was an old friend of mine from back in the neighborhood who I hadn’t seen in years. Back when I knew Boris, he was a Chef at a small Russian Bistro that he had just opened in Brighton Beach Brooklyn. His bistro became our groups hangout and I remember many happy dinners and drinks with friends there.

Those memories, Boris’s friendship and cooking was the inspiration for the Homemade Pelmeni brand design. His families Homemade Pelmeni recipes are a Russian comfort food staple in Brooklyn, NY. and have been for years. People would come to the restaurant and order frozen pelmeni by the pound’s (yes plural), just so they could share that comfort food feeling at home with their family and friends.

Personally my favorite is the the pork, pan fried with some butter, topped with caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms on top.