As the new head chef of KOMAT, Todor Grablev tells us what's coming in 2025 and what the New Year will be like from the rooftop of DOT Sofia.
Todor Grablev is a young chef who is gaining experience in prestigious restaurants around the world, most recently in faraway Australia. There he realizes that the life of a nomad is no longer for him, and it seems that at that moment the dot on the map points to KOMAT - his new culinary home, which he will enter with his team in January 2025. After an exceptional year, the restaurant's kitchen opens its doors to Todor, who together with the team will continue the history of good taste presented in tempting dishes.
Hello, Todor. Who are you?
My name is Todor Grablev, 28 years old, from Sofia. One of my first conscious memories is making pancakes - my father taught me. As a child I used to help my grandparents who owned a bread bakery. As a schoolboy, I made my first chicken soup, with very basic ingredients, but it was incredibly tasty to me and my family - at least they said so... I think my love for cooking came from the expressions and emotions of people trying something of mine. I graduated from a high school of tourism, followed by an international culinary academy, traveled the world cooking, and to this day, communicating with people through food gives me the most pleasure.
Your last trip was to Australia - what did you take away from it?
The journey was actually much further and much longer... It started with my first internship in AndaZ, Amsterdam, and continued with my second internship in San Francisco, California. The restaurant was right under the Golden Gate, an old military base that someone had turned into a resort with little white houses (Cavallo Point). I met great professionals who worked all over the world - priceless, really. This was followed by an opportunity to work in Paris, my dream destination, for Yannick Alleno. Then I came back to Bulgaria where we opened the Tables restaurant - first in Sofia and then in Plovdiv.
At some point it felt like it was time explore further. Something I could afford before starting a family. So I said yes to Tribeca, a fine-dining establishment near Eindhoven. Working in a restaurant like this gives you a lot, but it also challenges your social life. You have to decide if this is the way you want to go, but it feels important to me to have these experiences in order to be clear for yourself how you want to work and live. Australia was the stop before KOMAT where I did a lot of soul searching. After meeting Pancho Georgiev (owner of DOT Sofia and KOMAT), I realized that this was a place where I could bring my experiences together, express myself, create and contribute to the development of the culinary scene in our country.
What can we expect at KOMAT with your arrival?
We'll be working with small producers and artisans from across the country - the available produce has come a long way over the past years, and we of course are aiming to partner and contribute to the further development. As for the menu, I'm the classic one and Ivo - the new sous chef at KOMAT - is the modern one. Our aim is to combine the two worlds and explore the results with our guests. КOMAT has already found its place on the culinary map of Sofia, and now - together with the team - we have the opportunity to continue an extraordinary adventure.
They say that creation resembles its maker - how similar are you and your plates?
I'm quite tidy and organized - that's probably how we are :) At KOMAT, we're going to emphasize clean, elegant plates with tasty food - of course working with what the seasons have to offer.
It's going to be a special night to welcome 2025. Why don't you want to miss DOT & KOMAT @ NYE?
The very atmosphere of DOT Sofia calls for an exceptional experience. KOMAT promises to complement it with a special approach to good taste! I take KOMAT restaurant as my new home and together with my team we invite you to visit us - everyone is welcome or as they say, mi casa es tu casa!
xxx
Reserve your table for NYE @ KOMAT&DOT at +359 888 117 113.
More details about the special event - here.
Working hours of KOMAT
Monday - Friday: 08:00h. - 22:00h.
Weekends: 09:00h. - 22:00h.