Angela Boeva: “HRC was a great discovery”

Angela Boeva is a “Culinary Arts” graduate from the HRC Culinary Academy and a top contestant in the 2020 Global Young Chef Olympiad, where she was awarded 4th place out of 55 countries. Her project “Sofrà” represents a philosophy, centered around community, cultural curiosity, and the shared joy of food. She creates menus inspired by her Balkan roots and travels. They emphasize seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients and underused elements, maintaining high quality and sustainability, while paying homage to culinary traditions and ensuring an immersive dining experience.

Why did you choose to become a chef?

Growing up, I’ve always been curious about cooking – my mum is an enthusiastic cook, so our house is full of Gordon Ramsay’s cookbooks amongst many others, and watching MasterChef and Hell’s Kitchen in all possible countries was a religion. I remember I started staging table settings for dinner, DIY name cards and decorations as a sort of game when I was at the age of 8-9. My grandma is a fantastic baker – making cakes and pastries with her is one of my greatest childhood memories, so I believe this is where my love for the world of pastry began.

Moving to London was the game changer for me – I was creative; however, I did not realize culinary arts was my calling in life, and I wanted to pursue creative direction and build a career in the fashion industry.  Naturally, I had to cook a lot for myself, so living in London I started exploring markets, new cuisines and ingredients.

I was steadily trying to make fashion happen for me, until one day I woke up realizing how depressed I was, and that cooking was the only thing that was making me happy.

Why did you choose HRC for your education?

London was making me extremely unhappy, and I needed to reassess my career path, so I started looking up different culinary programs and exploring the options for me. Initially I wanted to go to Cordon Bleu and I applied for the schools in Paris and Florence, but I was feeling guilty to ask my parents to cover yet another expensive education, which made me circle back and look for places closer to home. HRC was a great discovery since it combined a lot of factors that were important for me – taught in English, international student and teacher body, versatile curriculum, a diploma recognized abroad, and a couple mandatory internships outside of Bulgaria.

Do you have any key memories from your HRC days which you would like to share?

Taking part of the YCO Olympiad is a milestone I will never forget. The thrill of training up for it, developing and testing the recipes – all was extremely new and exciting for me – it felt a little bit like falling in love for the first time. I have many good memories but what I cherish the most was the uniting force that food is and how connected I felt (and still feel) to the bunch of fellow likeminded aspiring chefs. It’s like being a part of a massive extended family and I think that’s very special.

In your words can you describe the meaning of being a chef and working in a kitchen? Also, tell us what it’s like being a woman in the kitchen.

I believe a lot of people don’t realize what it takes to become a chef besides knowing how to cook well. On most days you solve different types of crises, and funnily enough a lot of them have nothing to do with cooking. So, for me there is a massive difference between a cook and a chef. To be a chef you have to be ready for a lot of sacrifices, you need to be quick, be able to adapt in any situation, be a good leader, even a greater listener, be able to manage and understand people well… and then also be curious and creative about food, know what’s in season, where and how it grows, how to respectfully cook it… the list goes on and on. I am quite often asked whether working in a kitchen is like in the show “The Bear”, and my answer is – yes, with the only difference that it’s real life. Is it tough? Yes. Is it worth it? Abso-freaking-lutely. And we all love it. The kitchen is the heart and soul of humanity.

On that note, go watch The Bear, Season 2, episode 7 – “Forks”. Or the episode in Chef’s Table about Hiša Franko’s genius and hospitality. Or The Taste of Things with Juliette Binoche. Or just go to a restaurant you enjoy (think about the reasons why you like it), observe the people who work there, and you might understand what I mean.

Did you have any second thoughts about becoming a chef or staying in the industry?

It would be a massive lie if I said no, because the truth is – everyone has second thoughts. A lot of days are difficult, and the path is full of never-ending obstacles. On a hectic day when it starts to feel too overwhelming, I try to take a moment to shake off the stress and shift my focus entirely to all the beautiful dishes; that will create meaningful human connection.

Tell us about your internship placements and what was the biggest advantage that you gained from them.

My first internship was in Paris – at Pierre Herme, which wasn’t in my initial plans as I wanted to go to NYC. I had to perfect a recipe for French eclairs when training for the YCO, so I became extremely curious about pastry and its secrets. Funnily enough I hated making desserts at first – I used to find them restrictive, as you must strictly follow a recipe, however, as I started reading more into the matter, I came to realize that as long as you understand how to change the measurements and know what reactions occur between the different elements, you can experiment endlessly.

Paris was a dream come true – I’ve always wanted to live there, become fluent in French (as I studied it in school) and dive deep into their culture, but it was probably the toughest periods of my life. Working with French men in a kitchen was not fun as they were the kind of men who would believe the women’s place is in the kitchen… except when it’s a professional one. I have no regrets whatsoever as I learned how to pave my way through when it’s hard, to be persistent, resilient and how to respectfully stand my ground. All the qualities I find very useful in the kitchen.

My second placement was in London – I always wanted to come back here and try to establish a career. It has been a great journey, but I think the most valuable lesson was on my internship at Wild by Tart was the importance of being able to manage and understand people. If you want to be a successful chef (or head chef one day), you are absolutely doomed without your team.

What is one valuable lesson that you learned from your journey at HRC that you would never forget and why?

Anything is possible if you are willing to work hard enough for it. The sky is the limit – as cliche as that may sound, but if you put in the hours and dedication, you can reach for the stars and make even your wildest dreams come true.

What would you say to the current students who aspire to become young chefs?

Be curious. Listen closely. Be humble. Don’t ever think you know it all. Fall seven times, stand up eight. Consistency is key. Stay focused and most importantly – keep the balance within yourself.

Can you tell us what you are doing now? How did you come up with Sofra and what it is?

Currently I am in London where I work as the Sous Chef of Events at Wild by Tart – a boutique restaurant & events space in Belgravia.  In my free time I curate pop ups, restaurant takeovers and guest dinners. My biggest drive, however, is bringing people together through the power of food – back in 2020 when I was still in Sofia, I had started a super club project. I was curating a tasting menu for 12 people who would come as strangers, dine at a shared table and leave as friends. Naturally, it was my dream to bring that concept to life when I returned to London, but this time I will use my heritage and be able to not only create meaningful connections between people but tell them stories through my food. About Bulgaria, its beauty, secrets, recipes, ingredients, nature and my own memories of it growing up. And so – Sofrá was born as a way for me to express my love for my roots. I host a supper club once a month in an intimate space in central London. Hopefully, with time, more people will know about Bulgaria and its beauty. One Sofrá at a time.

Can you tell us what your favorite hobby outside of work is? Since you’re living in London what do you enjoy doing the most? 

Ironically, I think my hobby is eating out in restaurants. I try my best to keep a close eye on all new openings, food projects, the Michelin guide, etc, so most of my time outside of work I spend eating and researching. I would be the girl spending an hour or two on the tube crossing the other side of London just because there is a new restaurant on the scene that needs to be tried. I live and breathe food. Literally.

I also try to travel as much as I can – I think the best way to stay inspired is by meeting new people, cultures and changing the scenery. I enjoy photography, reading (not only cookbooks), going to art exhibitions and food markets.

Would you like to come back to Bulgaria and what advice would you give to young professionals who are not sure if they should return and pursue a culinary career in their homeland?

Up until a few months ago I was dreaming every day of coming back to Bulgaria and having my own restaurant. I do still dream of that and one day I probably will be back for good, however, at this stage of my life I want to explore what the world has to offer and tell stories about Bulgaria to people who have no clue about it at all. It’s quite exciting to be a part of the movement that is changing Bulgaria for the better, but I do think a lot can be achieved even if you’re abroad.

There is indeed a lot of room for innovation in Bulgaria and a great hunger for better food and gastronomic experiences, so don’t be afraid to chase your dreams. Bulgaria has a lot to offer. You must equip yourself with a lot of determination.