We welcome Dimitar Petrov to the kitchen of KOMAT restaurant and celebrate his remarkable achievement. Dimitar recently won first place in the National Young Chef Competition in Bulgaria, and today he is part of the KOMAT dream team. He believes that hard work and serious preparation are the keys to achieving any long-term goal.
Hello, Mitko! Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Dimitar Petrov. I’m 19 years old, and I’m currently studying at the Vocational School of Tourism in Sofia. If I had to describe the kitchen in one word, it would be passion!
You’re about to graduate—any nostalgia? :))
These 12 years flew by faster than I expected. I definitely feel nostalgic. I’ve started to understand what older people meant when they said I’d miss this time. High school gave me amazing friendships, valuable relationships with teachers, personal growth, and the chance to compete and develop professionally.
When did you enter your first competition?
My first national competition was at the beginning of 11th grade—an important year for me! I had no prior experience, and it was quite challenging. I made it into the top four in the first round, but in the next round, I got a little overconfident—and that was the end of the competition for me. :)
Lesson learned—and now, you're the winner of the National Young Chef Competition 2025! Tell us more about that.
The competition covers all areas of tourism and consists of three stages. The first is an internal round at each high school, where only one winner is selected per specialty. Then come the regional and national rounds. It takes serious preparation—and in my case, many sleepless nights. I couldn’t have done it without the support of many people. I’d especially like to thank my teachers, Maria Apostolova and Elena Petkova, who never gave up on me. Together, we reached first place.
What does it take to prepare for a competition like this?
Once I reached the regional stage, I had about a month and a half to develop dishes that would meet the standards of the national level. There were definitely challenges along the way, but every bit of effort was worth it.
What was the dish that won you first place?
I presented a two-course menu: a nettle-based starter with quail eggs and a main course featuring pork tenderloin with mushrooms. The starter showcased six different techniques using nettle—soufflé, a croquette with a hidden soft-boiled quail egg, sauce, green oil, and more. For the main, I prepared pork gallantine with chanterelles, accompanied by stuffed potatoes hiding a surprise: a chanterelle ragout.
How did you get to know KOMAT?
I met Chef Todor Grublev at the beginning of the year when he was a judge in the first round of the competition. Just a few weeks later, he offered me a position at the restaurant. I had been following KOMAT for a long time and was already familiar with the kitchen. I always hoped I’d get the chance to work in a place like this. So when Chef Grublev called, I was euphoric! I accepted immediately and came as soon as I could. I believe the most exciting part is still ahead of me!