Viktor Pasev and Ivo Yonkov are winners of the International Culinary Competition "Like the Chefs"

Saturday, 17 May 2025

The eighth edition of the International Culinary Competition "Like the Chefs" was held today at the Danube Plaza Hotel. The delicious competition is part of the XX edition of the Weekend Tourism Tourism Exhibition and the XVII Festival of Tourist Entertainment and Animations and is organized by the "Ivan P. Pavlov" Vocational High School of Tourism, the Municipality of Ruse, the Art Public Organization and the Union of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs in the city. This year, 12 students from 7 Ruse schools participated in the competition, as well as young chefs in training from Romania and Moldova.

"I thank these young people for the courage to participate and be inspired by the food that carries history and is what makes tourists return. Your preparation leaves no doubt in anyone present that you are the future culinary stars," said Deputy Mayor Zlatomira Stefanova. She expressed special thanks to the organizers for the desire with which they build on the competition every year. Zlatomira Stefanova presented a plaque of the Municipality of Ruse to the director of the Vocational High School of Tourism Reneta Valeva, expressing gratitude for the joint work and the ongoing 19-year partnership with the Municipality in conducting the “Weekend Tourism”.

According to the competition regulations, the participants were divided into pairs, with each team consisting of a representative of a Ruse school, partnering with a student from the Vocational High School of Tourism, Romania and Moldova. They were evaluated by a jury chaired by Chef Svetlomir Petrov – head chef of “Dunav Plaza”, Chef Momchil Kirilov – representative of “Fitness Chef” – Ruse, and Hristiana Simeonova – teacher of professional training at the Vocational High School of Tourism “Ivan P. Pavlov”. The task of the participants was to prepare desserts.

In third place were Gabriela Nacheva /Secondary School “Yordan Yovkov” and Ilyada Feim with their “Spoon full”. Second place went to Yanimira Rankova /Secondary School "St. Constantine - Cyril the Philosopher"/ and Hadzhiu Irina with the masterfully prepared puff pastry tart with white chocolate cream and fruit coulis. The grand prize was won by Viktor Pasev /Secondary School "Friedrich Schiller"/ and Ivo Yonkov. They enchanted the jury with their interpretation of a mini Pavlova with strawberries, raspberries and vanilla cream.

The Ruse Municipality Award was presented by Zlatomira Stefanova to Ognyan Ivanov /Secondary School "Vasil Levski"/ and Edis Veysalov. The best dessert according to the Union of Hoteliers and Restaurateurs was prepared by Kiril Kolev and Alina Gabriela, who were awarded by the chairwoman of the organization Maya Rusanova.

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