What do love and food have in common? Seeking inspiration, awakening the senses and touching the soul. The star tandem Elena and Nikolay Petreliyski will close the summer Culinary Pop-Up at KOMAT with a sea atmosphere and fresh products. We look forward to seeing them from 23 to 28 July!
Hello Elena and Niki! Tell us a little bit more about yourself :)
E: I'm Elena and my whole life has been about food and cooking. My family is in the hotel and restaurant business. I have been in this field since I was a child. I am currently a nutritionist. I studied nutrition at Oxford and that's the main thing I do. I have a platform that helps people who are addicted to food. Through the methods and regimes that I implement, I try to help not only mature people but children as well. I have been a cookery and television presenter for almost ten years.
N: Since I met Elena I can definitely say that I am Niki - before that I seemed to be someone else :)) I love to cook and make people happy. I have 21 years of culinary experience and have travelled to most European capitals. I have been consulting for the last 6-7 years - my desire is to offer a service that can benefit businesses. Staying only in the kitchen has never satisfied me. It's important to look for continuous development and a healthy competitive environment.
How often do you cook together?
E: We met on a cooking show and I can say that we've been cooking together since the first day we met.
Are there any essential rules for success that apply in the kitchen as well as in your personal life?
E: I think we got married because we were a culinary tandem first. It probably wouldn't have worked otherwise. If things go well in the kitchen, they will also go well in your personal life - that's my feeling.
N: Talking about essential rules, let me tell you a story from my professional life: years ago I was cooking in one of the big hotel chains. I had to work with an Italian who left his job to me. I was a young and enthusiastic person who came with a Michelin background and a French cooking culture (i.e. intense work, using sophisticated techniques) - in short, I wanted to change things here too. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the Italian kept repeating the word "simplicity" to me. Later, the universe introduced me to Elena and through her I was able to accept this concept that I had rejected for a long time. It has now become a style of cooking and a way of life!
When was the first time you have come across KOMAT?
E: We first visit KOMAT and DOT Sofia when the building was still under construction. We were very impressed by the atmosphere and the amazing roof terrace. The connection with art is somewhat natural, although in the kitchen inspiration goes hand in hand with discipline. We are delighted to have been invited to the culinary pop-up!
Do you have a favourite product that will be on the Culinary Pop-Up menu?
E: I believe that the taste of any dish also comes from the balance in it and the right use of all the ingredients - the combination and blend of them. For now, I can say that the products that will appear on the menu will be well combined and used wisely. What has been made clear is that I will be responsible for the balance of the dish and Niki will give the details : )) We want people who are in Sofia to feel like they are at the seaside.
N: In a nutshell, she'll set the boundaries and I'll have to stick to them. Usually I'm the one who decides to "complicate" things with additions and techniques :)) Elena cooks fast and smart. The food we will prepare will be simple, with the presence of ferremer products, seafood, minimal preparation and cooking. We will remain faithful to "economical cooking". We will rely on the authentic taste of each product.
Why is it important to meet like-minded people and collaborate?
N: The short answer is - because it has always been important! Colleagues who in the recent past determined what the culinary scene in Bulgaria would look like didn't seem to pay enough attention to it. There was a lack of collaboration, a lack of willingness to pass on knowledge, a lack of development of young professionals. What is happening now is essential. Collaboration between creative young people contributes to the next generation and creates a long-term perspective for new staff (presence of new disciplines, new policies and relations with the state).
E: What is happening is extremely useful. We express ourselves through the way we cook - it's our art. Working together brings inspiration to each of us.
Elena & Nikolay Petreliyski's menu:
1. "Tataki" tomatoes and textures, smoked labneh, blackberries in ponzu, focaccia, devil and mastic dressing
2. Black scallop salad, mangold and venison ham, roasted cucumber with sumac, cashew cream, spinach oil
3. Courgette stuffed with prawns, pine nuts and tofu, courgette spirals, clear mushroom broth, sesame oil
4. Almond cheese in a pan, lavender honey, dried cherry tomatoes in raspberry vinegar
5. Pork belly and cuttlefish, melon marinated in chimichurri sauce with seaweed
6. Chicken schnitzel marinated in yoghurt and mustard, mayonnaise with anchovies and mature sheep's cheese, double roast potatoes
7. Shrimp curry, jasmine rice with black chickpeas and sourdough bread with peanut butter
8. Wild sea bass fillet, sautéed mangold, scallop veloute, sea peas, fennel and potatoes
9. Lemon posole with green tea and raspberries
10. Chocolate cake with marshmallow and red miso paste
This summer, the kitchen of the KOMAT restaurant will be transformed into a space for new ideas, friendly encounters and experimental tastes. We welcome you with a Culinary Pop-up that will present four concepts in the face of chef Alexander Gotsev, Vladislav Georgiev ('Sezon'), Martin Nikolov, Nikolay & Elena Petreliyski. United by the creative approach that is an integral part of the the KOMAT philosophy, the guests promise a menu with fresh flavours, the presence of unexpected, seasonal ingredients and a new take on favourite dishes from the KOMAT menu. The summer plate is at the heart of this exploratory adventure in search of lightness and vitality in an urban environment.
We look forward to welcoming you to KOMAT restaurant from 25 June to 28 July for a little summer chenge!
Culinary Pop-up program:
Vladislav Georgiev: 25-30 June
Alexander Gotsev: 02-14 July
Martin Nikolov: 16-21 July
Elena & Nikolay Petrelyiski: 23-28 July
Reservations: +359 88 811 7113
Opening hours: 12 - 23 h. Mon-Sun //