With their opening up to the world, Bulgarians are changing their eating culture

The profession of a chef is becoming more and more prestigious, and people who devote themselves to it must really love it, because the hours of work are long, the workload and responsibilities are also high. The heavenly patron saint of chefs is St. Lawrence - one of the seven deacons killed during the persecutions of Emperor Valerian, who distributed church wealth to the poor instead of the Roman emperor, and then presented a crowd of beggars, cripples, blind and sick people as "the true treasures of the Church".

On St. Lawrence's Day marked on August 10, we meet a Bulgarian chef for whom the profession is a calling, but also a legacy, since his parents were also involved in it. If you love to cook and are ready to enter the kitchen and dedicate yourself completely – this is a craft that will satisfy you, tells us chef Atanas Balkanski.

Finalist in a culinary television format, he is the owner and head chef in two restaurants in Sofia. He is originally from Plovdiv, but grew up in a village and from a young age showed an interest in the magic that happens in the kitchen. As early as then he learned the main lesson – fresh and crisp products are one of the most important ingredients for any meal. Since he was a student, Atanas has never stopped experimenting with different flavors. He has gained experience both in Bulgaria and abroad – he worked in prestigious restaurants in Amsterdam and San Francisco, and one of his favorite things to do when traveling is to try dishes typical of the region.

"I went to Amsterdam on an internship from the Culinary Academy where I studied in Bulgaria. The restaurant was part of a large hotel chain and after its first six months it had earned two Michelin stars, which is extremely difficult. Most times only one star is given, and two requires a very high class. Three stars are given even more difficult and after at least three years."

The requirements for a restaurant to receive this prestigious award are many, but the most important thing is that the food be extremely tasty, admits the Bulgarian master. Is it possible to expect a Bulgarian restaurant to receive a Michelin star?

"There will be no such restaurants in Bulgaria until the state takes care of this, because it is directly related to the Ministry of Tourism. They have to pay a certain amount to Michelin so that they can come to the country, tour the restaurants and evaluate them. Until this happens, there is nothing we can do, no matter how good restaurants there are in Bulgaria."

How is the taste of Bulgarians changing and does he easily accept more non-traditional tastes?

"I think that Bulgarians are educated in the way they eat and have much greater culture of eating than 20 years ago. This is a fact thanks to culinary shows, and also to the fact that we now travel much more, see and try different foods abroad, and then look for them in Bulgaria."

There is no food that is difficult to prepare, it is possible to simply make and serve it interestingly, but also authentically, with a taste close to the original, Atanas Balkanski tells us, and he himself offers traditional Balkan dishes in a modern interpretation in his restaurants.

"I think that the cuisine of the Balkans is quite influenced by each other. Yes, the shopska salad is something traditionally Bulgarian, but in Serbia, Turkey and Greece there is a similar salad. The same goes for cabbage and vine dolmas, tripe soup - they are found in almost all countries of the peninsula, just slightly modified."

His favorite recipe from childhood is eggs in tomato sauce, prepared by his grandmother:

"She would make a sauce in a saucepan, where you put a little flour, butter and a little of the homemade tomato juice. This thickens and, together with a few eggs and a little cheese, it became one of the most delicious things that I loved to eat as a child", recalls our interlocutor and adds: "I also love banitsa very much, but I prefer it with homemade filo dough, because it is much tastier."

More than once the culinary expert has asked himself what he would do if he were not a chef, but to this day he has not found the answer. He is convinced of one thing – he is an energetic person and cannot imagine sitting in an office for 8 hours. He is satisfied with the fact that his profession is increasingly under the spotlight, although it is quite stressful and difficult. He likes to experiment, mix flavors and products from different countries, but he is categorical about one thing – Bulgarian tomatoes are the tastiest:

"We need to keep in mind the season and not eat fruits and vegetables that are not typical for the respective period of the year, because in order to reach us they are processed with various chemicals. That is why we make a lot of pickles in Bulgaria for the winter – to preserve seasonal vegetables and consume them later, and they are also a natural probiotic. Pickles can be made from absolutely anything – carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, even asparagus. I am currently preparing a version of the traditional Bulgarian lyutenitsa, but only with tomatoes, onions and garlic. I bake them for long hours in the oven and stir them from time to time so that all the water can evaporate. Then I lightly season with salt and a little sugar to cut through the sourness of the tomatoes – it becomes very tasty when you mix it with a little fresh parsley and croutons made from stale bread."

Chef Balkanski's experiments do not stop there – in the hot summer season he likes to invent various cold soups. "I made a cold soup with peaches, basil and a little brie cheese, which is a very good combination. I also made a yellow tarator with carrots and turmeric," Atanas Balkanski tells Radio Bulgaria.

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Photos: Facebook/ Atanas Balkanski
English version: R. Petkova