Chef Robin Villarreal and Iv-Andjelo Nikolov from The Culinary Arts Institute attended the 10th International Culinary Competition of Southern Europe. After the interesting event, they came back with full of emotions, and shared them with their colleagues.

1. Culinary
Arts
Institute
a s a p a r t o f
1 0 t h I n t e r n a t i o n a l C u l i n a r y
C o m p e t i t i o n o f S o u t h e r n
E u r o p e

2. Introduce facts about the competition: place, what was
that, competitors, how was organized, your feelings,
expectations?
The competition was held in Thessaloniki, Greece at
Helexpo [1] center in pavilion number 3. In the
competition there were 12 kitchen boxes, where
competitors were placed according to their categories
and additionally, was 1 premium box, which was for
the professionals. This box was for longer
competitions, like the Grand Prix, were they should
make 2 starters, 2 main courses and 7 small
presentations of the main course in a Canapés form.
The competition was great, because, 90 % were
mostly students. Actually, it was nice to see the
participation from different schools, and you could see
how everybody was having fun and everyone was
seeing what other schools were making. It was nice
place to see what was the benchmark of culinary level
of the schools around. The competition was organized
by World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) [2],
and in a collaboration of The Chefs Association of
Northern Greece [3] (the president of the association is
George Mastrodimitris), the organizer is Christos
Gkotsis [4] (President of the Organizing Committee)
and additionally, WACS with the head of Thomas A.
Gugler (President of WORLDCHEFS/WACS). The
competition was 3 days: 1st and 2nd days participated
the majority of the competitors, 3rd day was narrow
down to the professionals, and was quite nice.
Chef Robin
Villarreal
Monserrate
The academic
director of
Culinary Arts
Institute at Varna
University of
Management
Chef Robin Villarreal and Iv-Andjelo Nikolov from Culinary Arts Institute
attended 10th International Culinary Competition of Southern Europe. After
the interesting event, they came back with full of emotions and shared them
with their colleagues.
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3. Overall it was organized little bit tight, because there
were very small gaps between each competition.
Basically, let us say they did risotto, they had 30
minutes to make it and there was only 15 minutes
break between the risotto and the next competition,
which was for example, fish. Additionally, within this 15
minutes they had to contemplate the leeway of 10
minutes so the students could present the plate, but
then they had only 5 minutes, so the next competitor
could come and set up the station. In my point of view,
they didn’t take this into the consideration, and at the
same time the leeway is absolutely incorrect, because
if they are late, they shouldn’t be able to present.
The event was nice! Because, I was able to manage
the front part of the competition, as the most of the
Chefs were tasting inside and it was kind of empty in
the front, so I decided to take the initiative and
organize the front, to make sure that the competition
was being filled as they go. By doing this they made
me in charge of the front, so it was actually nice,
because nobody was bothering me, I was there in the
front - running forward and back and having fun.
I think the competition gave a lot of future vision of
what can be achieved if the students train more and
organize themselves better, and as I mentioned before
it was a nice benchmark, so that everybody could see
what everyone is doing and what is the level. There
were people from Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Cyprus,
Turkey, Latvia, Taiwan and Ukraine, and from my
point of view, the level between eastern and southern
Europe was basically very similar.
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4. Latvians were very strong and of course, the
Taiwanese, you cannot compare their level, it was very
different. This is nice, because everyone could see
what is higher level, and then they can obviously strive
to get to this level.
How was to be one of the juries?
To be one of the juries was a great opportunity, which
was given by Chef Kris, it was nice that he actually
introduced me to the idea and the Greeks accepted it,
so this was good and in Greece I was able to meet
some great colleagues in the industry, with whom we
interchanged all our ideas and the visions to the future
of culinary arts and education. It was great
“roundtable” of the discussions of point of views: how
to educate and how to make culinary arts better in their
countries.
What was the difficult/easy part to be as a jury?
The difficult part for all the juries in general is always to
be impartial and do not have any favoritism. I think this
is the number 1 hardest thing to do. I don’t have
problem in this, because I am impartial and if I have to
judge, no matter my friend or stranger, I will judge. I
think, this is how everything should be taken, it is not
personal, it is just professional.
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5. Easy part of being jury is that you can shout out to
everybody, push everybody around, because they are
not conforming to the rules that you are asked to
judge. Being jury and judge allows you to do this,
because you have to inforce the rules that you are
asked to force and some judges were little bit soft in
this area.
How the participants were prepared?
Not all participants were prepared in a same way,
because the level of the dishes and their performance
were different. I believe that several factors influence
on how the participants are prepared:
I. Money – obviously to get prepared you need money
for ingredients, installations where to prepare this,
money to buy equipment. Unfortunately, not all the
schools had the same budge like better prepared
ones, and this is why they wouldn’t able to prepare on
a similar level.
II. Time – of course they are students and time for
students is not the same as time for professional.
Students usually use their time to do some fun and the
professionals spend it for preparing something for the
competition and what is important.
III. Initiative of a student – this on is very important,
because, in order to prepare well for the competition,
you need to have initiative, you have to strive to
prepare for it, as this is something for you, and not all
the students, I believe, have the same initiative. In a
way the students were prepared somehow, but I think
in general they need more preparation.
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6. Would you like to be a part of that event again and
why?
Yes, I would love to be a part of this event again, why,
because as I said before I met some great people
there, great contacts and it is not about only the
competition, but also the time spent after the
competition, wherein everybody was more relaxed.
The humor of the chefs is one of my favorite humors
around, so there is plenty of this and this I cannot
pass.
What will remain to your memory, you as a part of that
event?
There are many things that will remain on my memory,
but number 1 I guess would be the emotions and
happiness of students during the jurying of competition
and coronation, because it will remain a memory in
their life, and someway will affect on them in a future,
because they were part of something big. Other
memories are to travel after the event, new city with
many food options, tasting different food, different
dishes and tasting proper Greek food.
In addition, as I mentioned, there was a student and
professional branch, but what I can say is that the
student level is very well represented and I think it is a
great place for young talent to come and to see what is
the level of others in a friendly atmosphere, to get to
know more people and get more contacts, because the
only way to grow is networking, and this is a great
place to start it.-5-

7. I attended as a guest with Chef Robin, and
represented Culinary Arts Institute at 10th International
Southern Europe Culinary Competition in Thessaloniki,
Greece. I participated for 1st time in my life at such a
competition and I am really excited. It was fantastic, I
saw how so many young Chefs are giving the best of
them to prepare amazing dishes. I had a great
opportunity to see what is to work at such conditions
and to see the mistakes of the competitors. As it was
first time for me to attend at such place, I didn’t have
any expectation, better to say - I let myself to see what
would happen there. I saw and realized how much
Chefs are giving to us knowledge, skills and team
work. I am really impressed and motivated to read and
work more and more to gain more abilities and skills,
as I saw how many young students work harder and
reach to their heights.
What was the most interesting part during the
competition?
There were too many interesting things, for example,
the process of preparation of dishes, to meet different
students and professionals in culinary industry,
presenting our university, local products, food & culture
and kitchen equipment.
Would you like in the future to participate?
I will be very happy to be part of it in the future as a
competitor and it motivates me to work harder, to
develop my knowledge and skills,
Iv-Andjelo
Nikolov
First year
student of
Culinary Arts
Institute at Varna
University of
Management
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8. so I can have the exact level for it. On such a
competition, you can prove your level and see where
your weaknesses are and work on them. However, you
have a lot of fun as well, because you are surrounded
with professionals.
What will remain to your memory, you as a part of that
event?
Everything that I saw and realized and the city are the
best memories that will be remained.
References
[1] http://www.helexpo.gr/en
[2] https://www.worldchefs.org/
[3], [4]
http://detrop.helexpo.gr/sites/default/files/gfx/2017/
rulesregulations-10th_iccse.pdf
http://culinaryartseurope.com/
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