Bulgarian Chef Heads to Paella World Final

Chef Kaloyan Kolev from Varna will represent Bulgaria in the World Paella Day finals in Valencia on September 20, after winning the national qualifier held Sunday in Burgas. Kolev impressed the jury with a paella featuring rabbit, guinea fowl, Petrohan sausage, truffles, and other locally sourced Bulgarian products. “I took the longest road to this recipe, using only unique family produce to honor Bulgaria,” he told BTA, CE Report quotes BTA

A lecturer at the Institute of Culinary Arts at Varna University of Management and co-author of "The Book – From the Kitchen to the Kitchen," Kolev also works as a culinary consultant.

The qualification took place during the final day of the first SOLE Spanish Culture and Culinary Festival in Burgas. The event featured live cooking demos, Spanish films, and musical performances. Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov praised the vibrant atmosphere and awarded Kolev the top prize, saying, “Summer is for fun and good mood — we must not let Burgas sleep.”