Creativity, Innovations and the Most Delicious Exams Ever
This year, February 14 at Varna University of Management will be not only a celebration of wine and love, but also of culinary innovations. It is on this date that the next culinary experience “Food Innovation Exhibition” will be held, which will present unique culinary products and developments of students in the “Gastronomy and Culinary Arts” and “Hospitality and Culinary Arts” programs.
As a part of their “Innovations and Creativity in the Culinary Arts” module, the Culinary Arts Institute’s students had the task to invent and present an innovative and creative culinary idea, as well as to offer a way of its practical realization, namely to follow the algorithm for elaboration and development of a new product. Students should create their own original dishes with unique recipes that have not been used before. Some of the young Chefs have focused on the visual experience associated with their product, while others emphasize on taste qualities or non-standard texture, trying interesting, even eccentric, combinations of foods and products, or using traditional elements from their national cuisine.
During the final part of the exam, the young chefs will have to organize their own stands to demonstrate their innovative culinary products in front of the evaluation board.
Unfortunately, due to the need to comply with the anti-epidemic measures, this year’s event will not be in an open format, but the VUM team will try to please everyone with lots of videos, photos and livestreams on social media.
The training in Culinary Arts Institute at Varna University of Management is practice-oriented and characterized by innovation, research elements and unconventional approach to culinary arts. Along with the academic knowledge, students start to accumulate considerable practical skills from the beginning of their studies, which prepares them for a real work environment and helps their professional and creative development.
The practical training of students is carried out in different directions, in order to familiarize them with the whole range of activities in the field of hospitality and culinary arts. Under the guidance of their Chef Instructors, each semester students plan and organize more than 30 thematic events, during which real clients book seats in the specially equipped training restaurant. In the course of their studies, students also get the opportunity to participate in a number of external events – exhibitions, fairs, charity events, culinary demonstrations, competitions and more, both in Bulgaria and abroad. A key advantage of studying at the Culinary Arts Institute at VUM is the opportunity to spend up to 12 months in practical training abroad and to join the teams of some of the best restaurants in the world. The University collaborates with more than 80 Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe to offer students best practices and focus them on every detail of the actual operation of the restaurant and catering business, building on the values and skills that are required for the future entrepreneurs and leaders in the food industry.
