Irina & Ivan: Pastry Partners in Crime

Meet HRC’s amazing alumni Irina Bachvarova and Ivan Stanev. They discovered their passion for cooking through different paths, which eventually led them to HRC Culinary Academy. Drawn by its exceptional Culinary Arts program and vibrant international atmosphere, they graduated equipped with the skills to pursue their dreams and found each other along the way. After graduating, they started their own pastry business – Sladko Pastry, combining their talents and shared vision. Now, they share their journey and the road that brought them to where they are today.

Why did you decide to apply to HRC Culinary Academy and pursue this career?

Irina: I initially studied software engineering, but my passion for cooking led me to take culinary classes for hobby chefs. That’s when I realized this was my true calling, and I decided to pursue it further.

Ivan: I had been studying interior design when I went on a Work&Travel brigade in the USA. There, I randomly took on a kitchen job and this is how I discovered my passion for cooking. Shortly after I became certain this is the right career choice for me and decided to fully dedicate myself to it.

In our individual searches for the right culinary school, HRC stood out as the clear choice. With its excellent Culinary Arts program, modern kitchen facilities, and vibrant international environment, it felt like the perfect place for us to develop the skills we needed to become great chefs.

Looking back, applying here was the best decision we’ve ever made, not only because of the education we received but also because it’s where we met each other.

 How did you come up with the concept of Sladko Pastry?

After completing our internships, graduating and gaining additional professional experience in the Netherlands for a few years, we realized that we prefer spending those long hours working for ourselves. We wanted to build something that held deep meaning for us. Creating something of our own felt like the best way to express ourselves, be creative in our field, and bring our vision to life. And that’s how we decided to take the leap and start our own business.

We saw a gap in the market for beautifully crafted, modern desserts that could be delivered without compromising their quality or presentation. This inspired us to design our packaging and develop desserts that maintain their elegance and structure during delivery and that’s how we created the concept of Sladko Pastry – our online store for modern desserts.

Why did you decide to continue growing your careers in Bulgaria?

Many of our desserts are inspired by Bulgarian traditions and flavours, capturing childhood memories. We use local ingredients like Bulgarian sheep milk cream cheese and Damascena rose, which carry the essence of our culture. We believe the right audience to truly understand and appreciate our desserts is here in Bulgaria.

For young people like us, there’s so much potential for growth and innovation.

There’s still a lot of space for creative expression and opportunities to develop unique businesses. For us, building Sladko Pastry here felt like the most meaningful and natural choice.

What does it take to become a chef/young business owner?

Becoming a chef and a young business owner takes far more than dedication and hard work, although those are certainly important. For us, it’s about full commitment—putting all your energy and focus into what you do. We don’t follow the idea of traditional work-life balance; instead, we believe in investing all of our time and effort into our passion. It’s about constantly thinking about the next idea, pushing yourself, and staying in the mindset of constant improvement. It also requires stepping outside your comfort zone repeatedly, accepting defeat when things don’t go as planned, and pushing through failure. It’s a process of constant trial and error, until you eventually succeed.

What are some valuable lessons that you learned in the Academy that you would never forget?

At the Academy, we learned the importance of staying focused and working in a clean, organized way—skills that are essential in any professional kitchen. Beyond that, we gained patience, not just with the craft of cooking but with people. Working with classmates from all over the world on tasks and exams taught us how to adapt, communicate effectively and embrace different perspectives. These experiences didn’t just shape us as chefs but as individuals, teaching us to work under pressure, support each other, and grow through every challenge.

How do you plan to develop your young business?

We don’t have a strict plan because things change every day and our perspectives keep evolving. But we’re dedicated to improving and growing every step of the way. Our goal for the future is to open a physical space where we can welcome people and offer something unique and different—an experience that goes beyond just desserts and truly delights and entertains.

What advice would you give to people like you who are starting something of their own?

Don’t just try something to see if it works. If you approach it that way, you’re not really committing. Make a decision about what you want to do, and then give it everything you’ve got. Your idea might evolve along the way, but the key is to be all in. If you’re unsure or just testing the waters, it won’t happen.

Commit fully, stay focused and improve everyday.

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

Irina: Yes, I did have second thoughts at one point. I had a knee surgery and couldn’t work long hours in a kitchen for a while. During that time, I started questioning if this was the right path for me. But while I was considering my options, I received an invitation from the academy to participate in the biggest culinary competition for young chefs, which was a sign for me that this is where I belong. It gave me the push I needed to stay in the industry.

Ivan: No, I’ve never had second thoughts about it. From the day I made the decision, I knew exactly what I will be dealing with and ever since I have been giving it my all.

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

A defining moment for both of us was participating in two major competitions. One was the YCO competition, where Irina won the award for best crème caramel dish, and we placed sixth overall out of 40 countries. The other was when Ivan competed with Erno and Desi, and together they won the title of Best Culinary Team in Bulgaria. Both experiences were incredibly challenging, yet unforgettable. We’re grateful to HRC for giving us the opportunity to represent the academy and Bulgaria throughout these years.

How do you see yourselves in 10 years?

In 10 years, we may not know exactly what form our journey will take, but we are certain that we’ll build something truly special.

Our mission is to delight people through our desserts and to create meaningful experiences here in Bulgaria.

We’re committed to constant improvement, innovation, and staying open to new ideas, which we hope will allow us to achieve something we can truly be proud of.