30 months later or the experience of an HRC Academy student, class 2013

Our blogger Yordan Petrov on his way to graduate  

Year 2010: At the age of 22 and with more than 2 years of kitchen experience Yordan Petrov joined the Culinary Arts program of HRC Academy.

Following our dynamic curriculum, student Yordan spent his 2^nd semester on an internship to the Netherlands, where he was able to experience 7(!) Michelin stars at a variety of restaurants in less than 6 months. After practicing on his days off at a 1-star Michelin restaurant, he was than able to work at the only 3-star restaurants in Holland, namely De Librije and Oud Sluis.

In year 2012, after the successful completion of his 3 semesters at the Academy, Yordan started his final pre-employment internship - his last semester at our school. For one full year we followed his experience in our blog where Yordan shared news and photos from the 1- star rated Solage Calistoga in Napa Valley, California and not only.

During his time in California, Yordan added another 3 Michelin stars to his professional background doing a short stage at The French Laundry with the legendary chef Thomas Keller! As Yordan says “Here in California I realized that everything is possible…” 

And 30 months after his first day at the HRC Culinary Academy, Yordan is on his way to be awarded his Diploma in Culinary Arts later this year.

“Thanks to all people who helped me to get my dreams come true, thanks also to the people who inspired me to keep going forward. For me it was an honor to know such a great people that dedicate their lives to the food industry, to be trained by some of the finest Chefs in California, to be recognized for my passion and to be treated with respect everywhere I go.” 

And it is just the beginning! Months before the Graduation ceremony, Yordan already started working. This time location is Denmark, at the recently started Noli restaurant in Ikast and its unique concept.

Good luck to Yordan and all of the HRC Academy students who have taken the challenge to follow their passion for cooking and Academy’s dynamic Culinary arts program! 

Experience @ the French laundry kitchen 

At last the moment arrived .. December 19  2012, i was accepted to have the honour to stage in The French Laundry kitchen . My first  day started @ 12 am . I met all the Crew and chef Timothy assigned me to help garde manger and meat chef de partie with prep projects. First thing that everybody think will be that i felt stress , well no really , before i start my stage i spoke with one of the best bulgarian chefs for advice - he just told me -  

:just relax and enjoy the experience" , so i did. No stress, just pure joy, heaven... and until i was helping with celery preparation for one of the meat courses, a hand push me - i turn around and i saw the Man himself- Thomas Keller . He just greeted me (shaked my hand), asked me for my name and walked away to spoke  with chef de cuisine.During that time  my heart took decision to speed up twice my heart beat :) . During dinner service i had to stay in front of the pass and i was able to see  whole operation. Discipline , everybody call back the tickets in the same time like soldiers- really impressive. After end of service we cleaned all the kitchen i had meeting for the menu for the next day.

Second day i went with an hour early to picture all the kitchen in order to be able to share what i saw:

Minutes after that started  to prep for dinner service , which starts usually around 5 45 pm. When first tickets arrived in the kitchen  i was  helping the commis to  whapped up the back area and went to the pass. It was Very intence service , some mistakes from the front service as always create pressure in the kitchen . Around 8 pm Chef Thomas show up with bunch of cards to sign in his office and follow the service from the office ( which they called - the Box ) . Around 10 15 pm Chef Thomas came next to  me and started asking me for some general information qbout me . Suddenly, chef Keller put on his apron and went to speak with the chef de cuisine, he told him that we have single diner in the house . After a minute chef came next to me again  and take off my towel from my apron and he told me- " now you are going to have dinner ", i turned around and saw that runner was putting table cloth on the desk in the " Box"- in that moment my brain just sent unknown signal to my legs and throat , for first time i felt so special , just couldn`t believe what was  happening. I`m sorry that coundn`t discribe how i felt , it was one of thosee few moments in the life that you are not in charge of yourself.

So i sit in the ofiice and chef just decided to cook for the last tables, lucklly i ate some of that food ... That was a real honour for me . I was thinking that this is my Christmas gift and if the world will end tomorrow (21 december) i didn`t care any more ... i would die as someo f the happiest young chefs... 

Chef sent me 13 course menu + chanpagne and wine ... usually worth  500 $ if you are lucky enought to get a table ....the rest was details ....

Chef Keller brought me the beef course in the office and he ask me if i liked it ... conclussion : chef is the most generous and genuine chef that i`ve even seen . Real mentor and down to the earth man,real inspiration...  no doubts why he is so successful. At the very end He signed me the menu and he told me .."Well Yordan remember it`s all about finesse.... Here is some of the pictures ot the Dinner :

Summer dishes at Solbar 2012

Hello from Napa valley friends,it is harvest time and people come over in the valley specially to enjoy best wine and food of California. Now is period of changing seasons and i will present you some of the summer dishes, also there is only a month until the release of the new michelin guide and expectations are higher then ever. I started in the kitchen of Solbar in February 2012 as dinner garde manger demi chef de partie and was trained for a few months, become the strongest person on the station and later was moved up to the meat station in late summer, so the dishes that will show and explain you are hot and cold starters and main courses. It is been a very busy Summer for us in the kitchen ,and i`m very thankful to be trainer by such a professional chefs , to get their menthality and discipline is the kitchen, dedication and spirit-being pride of what we are doing with no excuses just doing our best... it is not just a cooking, it is mind, soul and hard work to acchive that level of food and still serving over 100 guests every night.

 bean salad with devil egg, home made pickles , salt roasted - deep fried shallots, pickled onions and marjroom aioli, fine herbs

 carpacio of tuna, grilled tofu pure, sesame crouton with scallion creme fraise, ginger cherries, spheres from cherries and tat soy leaves

local farm chicken thigh and breast, smoked tomato vinegrette, panzanella salad, nicoise olive spoonbread,

fino verde basil ,farm egg

valley floor figs,pickled oregon chanterell mushrooms,

toasted farro, pinenut meringue, arugula, pine bud syrup

 coriander-dark rum cured smoked salmon, our rye bread crisp, horseradish

lemon cucumbers, mustard dill potatoes, compressed apples and micro greens and flower

bacon-wrapped tenderloin of hampshire pork, bronx grapes, brussels sprout leaves,

crispy capers, raisin gastrique sauce and cauliflower

 snake river farms flatiron steak, yukon gold potato gnocchi, charred romano beans

chanterelles, potato mousseline, sauce bordelaise

 crispy pork belly porchetta, baked jonathan apples, frisée salad

celery seed vinaigrette

 Rabbit tenderloin and stuffed leg, pear butter ,spinach and pasta with rabbit sauce

 heilroom tomatoes, house made ricotta mousse, gremolata, pickled shallots and garden basil

red curry marinated shrimp- grilled and chilled, compressed melon and watermelon , coconut mousse,

sausalito watercress, nam pla dressing and cucumber-mint granite

Now as chefs we are excited to start new season and  develop new dishes with seasonal products available  in autumn. Soon expect new post of our autumn menu. Wishing all the best to everybody who track my blog and take care .