Look Who’s … Cooking!
Absorbed in the fast-paced everyday life in the office, or fallen deeply in the pleasant serenity of the home comfort, we sometimes do not pay attention to what lies behind the curtains of the visible. That is why today we would like to introduce to you the main actors of the Culinary Arts Institute at Varna University of Management – a team of foreign and Bulgarian Chefs with considerable experience in high-end and Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. Professionals who have chosen the mission to teach and share their knowledge and skills with the young future chefs (even though currently giving their lectures online), but also putting their inexhaustible energy to share the magic of culinary arts with all of us, preparing irresistibly delicious dishes for our lunch or dinner.
CHEF HUGUES BOUTIN – CAI Programme Director and Head Chef Instructor
Chef Boutin is an extremely creative and positive individual with over 25 years of experience, ranging from teaching experience at cooking schools to fine dining hotels and restaurants around the world.
After graduating from the Institut De Tourisme et D`Hôtellerie Du Québec, in Montréal, with a Superior Studies degree in Culinary Arts, chef Boutin gained solid culinary experience working as a chef around the world. Chef Boutin possesses vast experience working in a multi-cultural environment, as he worked as Executive Chef for Club Med for 7 years at different locations such as Mexico, Australia, Malaysia, USA and Cuba. He is fluent in French, Spanish, English and the Mexican and Italian cuisines are among his favorite.
Chef Boutin worked in fine dining establishments such as the Little Nell in Aspen, ranked among the top 25 hotels in the USA, and the 3-star Michelin restaurant Bernard Loiseau’s “La Côte d’Or” in Burgundy, France. For more than 8 years, he was a chef instructor at two culinary universities in Mexico City and since 2015 he is training culinary students in Bulgaria.
Chef Boutin is a well-rounded professional with additional certifications in Food Production Management obtained at Bali, Indonesia in 2005. He has also been a ServSafe©Trainer & Proctor since 2005, giving classes and training seminars to groups ranging from 4 to 150 participants.
As a recognized culinary expert, Chef Boutin is often invited as a marshal/judge in various competitions and in 2017 he was a member of the Jury in the Bocuse D’Or Bulgaria competition. He has also coached various culinary teams to first places in diverse culinary cups and competitions. His most recent achievement was at the Bulgarian National Culinary Cup 2019 in Plovdiv, where two of his students at Culinary Arts Institute grabbed the gold medals – one of them winning the overall Pastry Chef of the Year competition with 3 gold medals and the other – the Cup in the meat category.
CHEF KALOYAN KOLEV – CAI Chef Instructor
Chef Kaloyan Kolev has over 10 years of experience in the culinary business, having always maintained his passion for the food industry. He is open for opportunities to learn new cultures and cuisines and quite accustomed to working in a fast-paced environment. And he is always ready to challenge himself.
Chef Kaloyan graduated from an international culinary school in 2014 and trained at “Market by Jean-Georges” in Doha, Qatar as well as at “Jean-Georges Steakhouse” in Washington DC. He had the opportunity to work on three different continents, allowing him to meet and learn from great European, American and Asian chefs.
Before joining the team of Culinary Arts Institute at Varna University of Management, Chef Kaloyan had worked in Norway for 5 years, including a winter season as a Sous chef for Chef Geir Skeie, Bocuse d’or winner in 2009. He brought with him a solid understanding of how to adjust taste, flavors and ingredients, allowing him to express and demonstrate his skills in a variety of world cuisine.
Having worked around the world helped Chef Kaloyan to develop solid communication skills and a facility to organize and direct training. Organized, creative and innovative with food presentation, he has a talent for utilizing ingredients in the best ways to save costs and manage time.
This rich working experience leads chef Kaloyan to great achievements. Among them are the 2 nd Place for Best Team at the Culinary Cup of Bulgaria 2018, the 3 gold medals (Two to Tango, Fish Dish and Starter categories) at the International Aegean Culinary Championship in Aydin, Turkey 2018, the 1 st place for Best International Chef and the bronze medal for Best International Team at Gastromak 2018 in North Macedonia, and the gold medal for Grand prix Best Chef of the year at the 11 th International Culinary Competition of Southern Europe in Thessaloniki, Greece 2019.
CHEF STANISLAV KUBAREV – CAI Chef Instructor
Open minded and creative individual, with over 10 years of experience in the industry, who is happy to share his skills and knowledge with passionate students and food enthusiasts.
He started his culinary carrier in New Zealand, learning his craft at the Wellington Technology Institute and NZ School of Food and Wine, alongside with working in a couple of good restaurants and the 5-star Intercontinental Hotel in Wellington. He benefited a lot from his studies, as New Zealand cuisine is a fusion of British, French and Asian techniques, ingredients and flavours.
Chef Stanislav continued his career in his hometown Saint Petersburg, Russia, working for haute French and Italian cuisine restaurants. Starting as Chef de Partie up to Sous-Chef positions, he absorbed as much knowledge as possible from talented Russian and European head chefs that he had the honour to work with. After a few years, he started a job at the high-level private culinary school SWISSAM as chef instructor and soon realised that his passion is not limited only to learning and practicing the art of cooking, but to share his knowledge and help raise the level of education and consciousness of people from the industry and amateurs alike.
In 2016, Chef Stanislav moved to Varna, Bulgaria and started his current position at the Culinary Arts Institute, helping a lot for the development of the culinary programmes. He continued his self-development by taking a 5-month practice at the 2 Michelin star Portuguese restaurant Vila Joya in 2017. Chef Stanislav keeps current in new cooking technologies, techniques and ideas by constantly researching and practicing his craft.
Chef Stanislav is extremely active in taking part in local and international food fairs, festivals and culinary competitions. One of his recent achievements is the winning of two gold medals at the International Aegean Culinary Championship in Aydin, Turkey in 2018.
These are the three “musketeers” of the Culinary Arts Institute at Varna University of Management! An institution that embodies the audacity and courage of the past and the innovation and creativity of the present to teach and hand down the best for the future. And of course, always following the motto “One for all, all for one!”