The Premier Gastronomy Festival: 2nd to 11th November 2012
The Premier Gastronomy Festival
The Premier Gastronomy Festival starts on 1st November and continues until 11th November. This is the first food festival of its kind in Bansko.
And I am excited about this event.
I am biased for the joys that Bansko can offer, but this food festival makes for a perfect excuse to take an Autumn Bansko break. The room deals at the Premier look very good. And I can vouch for the quality of this hotel, with some very positive feedback from visitors over the last ski season. The Autumn season and vivid mountain colours are all come for free.
The Premier Gastronomy Festival web site, https://www.premierfoodfestival.com/ has lots of useful info. In summary, it says… “Join top chef talent, sommeliers, winemakers and local producers for an indulgent epicurean adventure.”
It then explains how food festival visitors will get up close and personal access to the culinary, wine and spirit talent at the cooking classes and at the cocktail parties.
In addition, there is a bartending competition, a local products exhibition, wine tastings and exquisite dinners. See the schedule below on their web site for times.
The Premier also says that their food festival will be “a mouthwatering and learning experience that we plan to offer you every year… spoil yourself with the flavors, relax at Victoria Spa and enjoy the unique experience of pampering at Premier Luxury Mountain Resort.”
Bulgarian chefs
The line up of chefs is impressive. Look out for, Ivaylo Petko (Lord of the Chefs TV show judge) and chef at the superb “Chef’s” restaurant, located outside Sofia.
There are a series of cookery demonstrations, wine tastings and wine pairing sessions along with the gourmet dinners. There will also be wine makers, beer merchants and local producers in attendance.
Here is a selection of the top Bulgarian chefs who will be attending the Premier Gastronomy Festival:
- Ivaylo Petkov – Executive Chef
- Sidonia Radeva – Executive Chef
- Joro Ivanov – Executive Chef
- Radi Stambolov – Executive pastry Chef
- Borislav Paunov – Executive Chef
- Georgi Georgiev – Executive Chef
- Tania Pravchanova – Executive Chef
Bulgarian ingredients
My personal story of Bulgarian cuisine is one of continual discovery. Not only the natural products around. The wild thyme and St John’s Wort high up in the Pirin mountain have been a joy to pick but also discovering more and more gourmet restaurants around the country.
As I type this, I have my own mini food festival going on — a fresh bowl of plums and grapes are being greedily devouring.
Like so many here I am fortunate to receive fresh food from a friend’s mother. She has with a most wonderful garden and allotment. From early season cherries, strawberries, peas, beans, to the tomatoes, grapes, plums, it is all growing in the rich soil and strong sunshine. Soon cabbages and potatoes will continue the exciting seasonal story. Quality ingredients, when combined with some skills learnt at the festival, I am hoping will produce some show case dinner party dishes.
Tasting, and sharing good food, is a way of life here in Bulgaria. Restaurant gourmet chefs, and home cooks alike, have the opportunity to cook fine cuisine. The restaurant scene is reflecting this marriage of chef skill and the produce in a most dynamic way.
Take one such ingredient, the Bulgarian tomatoes. These are legendary in their depth and sweetness of flavour. But the the list of sumptuous fruit and vegetables goes on.
I digress… but it is no surprise that with such ingredients, top Bulgarian chefs are able to produce outstanding dishes.
I urge fellow foodies to attend the Premier Hotel’s Gastronomy Festival. I look forward to blogging on what I learn and discover. With renewed enthusiasm, and motivation for refining my own cooking endeavours, I’ll be revealing some of the best recipes to try at home after this festival.
Premier Food Festival booking details
Accommodation packages at https://www.banskohotelpremier.
Premier Luxury Mountain Resort
11 Karamanitza St
2770 Bansko, Bulgaria
+359(0) 749 50500
+359(0) 749 50502
info@premiermountainresort.com
The Premier Food festival schedule
01/11/2012 Thursday
The first day of the festival and the start of the first group of events with gourmet roadshows and exhibitions, cocktail parties, live cooking classes and extraordinary dinners prepared by the chefs.
- Press Conference
- Live cooking by the Chefs: Molecular gastronomy
- Gourmet dinner: degustation menu & tombola – Amvrosia
02/11/2012 Friday
- Wine degustation and food pairing – Bulgaria
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Pre-dinner cocktail party – Nectar Bar
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
03/11/2012 Saturday
- Children animation, cooking & baking
- Wine degustation and food pairing – Old World
- Ice cream making
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
04/11/2012 Sunday
- Children animation, cooking & baking
- Wine degustation and food pairing – New World
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
05/11/2012 Monday
- Children animation, cooking & baking
- Wine degustation and food pairing – Rakia & Grappa
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Brandy, Cognac and calvados degustation
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
06/11/2012 Tuesday
- Children animation, cooking & baking
- Wine degustation and food pairing – White wines & Deserts
- The secrets of BBQ
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
07/11/2012 Wednesday
- Children animation, cooking & baking
- Wine degustation and food pairing – Red wines & Deserts
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
- Whiskey Party – Nectar Bar
08/11/2012 Thursday
Start of the second group of events with gourmet roadshows and exhibitions, whiskey & vodka parties, live cooking classes and extraordinary dinners prepared by the chefs.
- Children animation, cooking & baking
- Beer degustation and food pairing
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
09/11/2012 Friday
- Children animation, cooking & baking
- Wine degustation and food pairing
- Omelette making competition
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Bartending competition cocktail making
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
10/11/2012 Saturday
- Children animation, cooking & baking
- Wine degustation and food pairing
- Live cooking by the chefs
- Gourmet Dinner with live music – Amvrosia Restaurant
- Vodka Cocktail Party – Nectar Bar
11/11/2012 Sunday
Festive Brunch
