Chef Simeon Nikolov and his path to Michelin star
Simeon Nikolov is 29 years old, from Sofia, and works in a Michelin star restaurant in Switzerland. What is the story of this success?
Chef Nikolov, where does your interest in the art of cooking come from?
My interest was sparked in my childhood and teenage years when I often helped my mother prepare dinner. An highlight that also played a role in my perception of cooking was when my father taught me to flip pancakes. As a kid I always wanted a fruitcake for my birthday, and one day I decided to try to make it myself.
I found the recipe on the internet – I started by baking the flan bases, made the pastry cream myself, and even used gelatine to make strawberry compote aspic. The cake turned out surprisingly well. Well, of course, it wasn't perfect – the gelatine filling wasn't firm enough and the fruit was sliding down. Then I entered the Sofia Vocational School of Tourism, where my true passion for culinary art was ignited.
My good friend Chef Antonio Ivanov (editor’s note – now the chef of Quche Bar & Dinner in Sofia – see page ...) also contributed a lot to my early breakthrough in the field. My culinary career started as a student in 10th grade, when I got my first job as a cook at Lazy restaurant under the guidance of Chef Ivaylo Petkov.
Then I entered the Culinary Academy and the internship programme took me first to the Japanese restaurant Roka in London and later to the Murray Circle in California. Working in this restaurant and meeting Chef Monica Fabis was my stepping stone to Michelin restaurants.
Thanks to her, just two weeks after returning from the US, I went to Denmark to compete for a position at the prestigious 3-Michelin-star restaurant, Geranium, by legendary Chef Rasmus Kofoed.
How did the road take you to Switzerland?
While working at Geranium Restaurant, I learned about an internship program provided by Chef Andreas Caminada's foundation, and after a successful application, I went to Switzerland. After completing the program, I stayed on to work for the Caminada Group, going through the kitchens of several of their restaurants. And in September 2023, Chef Caminada entrusted me with the management position at the vegetarian restaurant OZ. The name is derived from the Rhaeto-Romance word for "today" – associated with today's harvest, the magic of the moment and the joy of spontaneity.
The concept of the restaurant is Farm to Table and is made possible by our own garden located a hundred meters from the restaurant, which provides up to 95% of the fresh produce on the menus. The other thing that distinguishes us is that guests don't sit at individual tables, but at a counter that curves like a horseshoe around the open kitchen. This allows them to observe closely how the dishes are prepared.
What is behind your success?
Perseverance, hard work, a good attitude, taking responsibility and a big dose of luck. Of course, being in the right place at the right time is also extremely important.
Switzerland, the level of the restaurant and hotel industry is incredibly high, and the people in the industry are very friendly. I believe that we will see more and more Bulgarians with similar achievements – I know many colleagues with the necessary experience, knowledge and skills.
