Portfolio

I am Philippe Duc and I enjoy my profession as a real part of my inner space. It is no wonder I’ve become a chef as my childhood was tightly connected with gardening. My grandparents lived in Ruan and I helped them with planting, selecting and watering all the possible kinds of grocery, vegetables and even fruits. To tell the truth, my mother was surprised by my desire to step into a kitchen path. She even tried to persuade me in an architecture’s better future, but failed.

My name is Tamara Mattii. And currently I am an executive chef in La Piola restaurant. Even when I repeat this for several times, I could hardly believe it. I was born in Pisa, Italy. This country is well-known for its passion to gastronomy, high-quality products and eating culture. Since I recall myself, I was always dreaming about feeding my family with the dishes I made. My young years could be simply called “fiesta”. As I adored parties, especially the moment of welcoming people to try the meals. I was absolutely happy when all the faces were shining with satisfied smiles and souse.

I’m not striving to move to a city, conquer the capital or concrete jungle. I love Armenian fertile land, that’s why I’ve decided to stay and work in my native village. I help my parents, raise vegetables and scrumptious greens. People often ask my opinion how to get the same satisfaction from work as I do? What to say... I love my work, and create my dishes only in good mood. And business is going well. That’s the main secret!

I’m a descendant of the cooking dynasty, adherer of the traditions and simply an enthusiastic person. My life, like a kite balloon, brightly vibrates above the ground, visits different countries and regions, but meanwhile is tightly linked with my homeland with almost invisible thread. I’m Kenny Chan Kai-tak, chef of Yun Yan restaurant in Hong Kong.

It’s impossible to know everything. It’s impossible to manage everything. It’s impossible to try everything. However, I fill my life with a whole bunch of new knowledge, work and flavours. I’m neither a revolutionist nor an innovator. I’m Karo Guyumjyan, Armenian and just a good guy. My guests keep telling that I’m an awesome chef of Salon restaurant. I was born and raised in an ancient and magnificent city of Yerevan. You can hardly be tired of speaking about it: its history and culture, its people, politics and atmosphere. But personally for me Yerevan is a source of personal power, part of my spirit and native soil. Am I a patriot? For sure I am! And I’m very glad that the city welcomes me, a bold guy, in its warm and spicy embrace.

I was born and raised in the cosmopolitan Hong Kong. So maybe that was the reason why I didn’t have a clear vision of my professional perspectives until I was 18 years old. I was just simply searching for a job, saw an ad and started working as a kitchen assistant. And, as the saying goes, the appetite came to me with the eating. I realized that I loved not only to eat, but also to create food. Already being an assistant to the chief in the LA Café, I started to attend cooking classes. My primitive knowledge were so not enough for me. That was the birth of my culinary ambitions. And since then, there is not a single day when I’m calmed down. I always learn, explore and take interest. My natural passion and dedication has played a very positive role for my career.

When a hobby becomes the profession it is commonly treated as life success. I do not feel like I am the most successful man in the world. But one of the happiest I should say. My name is Alvin Leung and I am a happy chef. I was born in foggy London. Rather known for its grey weather and grumpy people. Where the most elegant dish is a porcelain plate of oat porridge. It is only half truth, of course. Although my dearest mother did not cook thus I was climbing the kitchen mountains all by myself.

I'm Anastasiya Holoborodko, food journalist, author of blog on healthy food spoon.com.ua, food-editor at bit.ua, nogibogi.com.ua, student and host of culinary workshops, modern gastronomist and a very enthusiastic person. My childhood was far from glamour everyday life of city ladies. Small Ismail town, where my family still lives, frozen in its semi-city development. Quiet and cozy as granny's kitchen, it even used to play a significant role in history. I like Ismail for its diverse gastronomic melody. Just imagine: Turkish, Bulgarian and Romanian cuisine, endless curving vineyards and fluffy sheep-walks... I am so inspired by my native town that I can keep on talking and talking about it. But this is not the point.

A woman in the kitchen, a woman and a kitchen - these notions are very comfortable and familiar for everyone. Creation of food has been always something magical and ritual. But at the same time, technique, accuracy and calculation are parts of multilayered gastronomic puzzle. Could I imagine that selection of products and creation of dishes will become the business of my life? No and yes. I will tell you, how I - Daria Grositskaya - became a chef at Under Wonder.

I've never considered geographical borders as barriers. Neither for art, nor for life. It's strange to map pointless lines and establish fences around you. Perhaps this is why being born in small Khotyn on the territory of picturesque coasts of the Dniester River, I had no problems with submerging in culture and peculiarities of other countries. Am I a traveller? For sure! I'm a culinary wanderer. My name is Vitalii Voroncihin, I'm a chef at BBQ and representative of The Big Green Egg in Moldova. I also manage the kitchen in one of the most successful projects – GastroBar.