Sharena Fabrika: Young Chefs’ Week in Bulgaria Trains Global Teens in French and Balkan Cuisine

Sharena Fabrika, a culinary campus located in the Balkan Mountains of Central Bulgaria, will host Summer Camp: Young Chefs' Week, offering culinary training to young people from around the world. The program is designed to provide career orientation to 16- to 18-year-olds. It will take place in July 2026. Students will learn the art of pastries, bread, and baking, as well as French and Balkan cuisine from international chefs who specialize in French cuisine and are defining the future of Balkan cuisine worldwide. The campus language is English.

Pastry, Bread & Bakery, and French and Balkan Cuisine.

Yoanna Yordanova, a pastry chef who trained at the École Ducasse in France and specializes in classic and contemporary pastry techniques, is one of the experienced chef instructors.

One of her workshops will include making a classic vanilla flan from scratch. From preparing the perfect shortcrust base to mastering smooth, rich vanilla custard, this session emphasizes precision, technique, and presentation. Participants will leave with a professional-level introduction to the art of dessert making.

At the summer camp, students will explore the science behind baking techniques with the French master baker Julien Cassin in the Bread and Baking program at Sharena Fabrika.

Julien has years of experience working in French artisan bakeries, and he has had an international career. He co-founded Maison Coco in Sarajevo, taught at Le Cordon Bleu in Seoul, and worked as head baker at the Elora Mill Hotel & Spa. He has taught bakers around the world, including at the prestigious culinary school Le Cordon Bleu, where he helped students build confidence, skills, and creativity. Currently in Bulgaria, Julien is preparing to share his global expertise with a new generation of professionals.

Balkan cuisine and French bistronomy

Martin Nikolov is a chef instructor who specializes in French and Balkan cuisine. After graduating from a culinary academy, Martin gained international experience in Europe and the United States, including in Michelin-recognized restaurants. His style is casual fine dining, inspired by bistro culture, with a focus on terroir cuisine, local products, sustainable practices, and modern Balkan gastronomy.

Martin explores techniques such as fermentation and minimalist plating in the context of modern Balkan cuisine, focusing on sustainability and zero waste.

Head chef instructor Henri Donneaux graduated from the Culinary Institute in Namur, Belgium, where he specialized in French cuisine. He built his career on the international stage, traveling between Belgium, France, and the United States. For Donneaux, Bulgaria and Balkan cuisine evoke a sense of home.

As part of the Balkan culinary exploration, students will also work with traditional filo-based pastries, such as Banitsa. This iconic dish showcases the craftsmanship of Balkan baking: ultra-thin layers of dough are carefully stretched, filled with white cheese, and then rolled, folded, or layered before baking until golden and crisp. Think of it as the Balkans’ savory answer to a cheese danish, but rooted in centuries of tradition.

Roots-to-table

Sharena Fabrika is an environment shaped by nature and a vibrant artisan community. Based in the village of Golyama Zhelyazna, the campus is designed to promote focus, well-being, and hands-on ecological learning.

Nature becomes both the classroom and a constant source of culinary inspiration. Students cook with local ingredients, some of which are grown in the campus gardens.

They are guided by agriculture instructor Daniel Dimov, who created his first food forest at age 22. For fourteen years, he dives deep into the world of nature-based systems as a teacher. Daniel believes that at the foundation of good cuisine lies not only technique, but also an understanding of where food comes from. Nature is the first and most successful system on the planet. When you understand how it works, you can follow the same path and work in sync with it, and in return for precise and intelligent care – you receive much more.

For cooling down, there is the nearby lake and Tarator, a traditional Bulgarian cold summer soup made from yogurt, water, diced cucumbers, garlic, dill, and a drizzle of olive oil, which is served chilled or with ice cubes.

Throughout the workshops, participants will develop their plating and presentation skills. In a food photography workshop, they will learn the foundational techniques of product photography, which will include how to use light, composition, and how to get to know your (phone) camera.

Young Chefs' Week at Sharena Fabrika
July 12 to 19, 2026

Euro Summer: Young Chefs’ Week will take place at the the joyful Casa Art Hotel - a partner of the Sharena Fabrika campus, and the Sharena Fabrika Permaculture Gardens. The all-inclusive package includes accommodations, activities, meals, excursions, insurance, and transfers to and from Sofia Airport.

Register here: https://en.sharenafabrika.com/course/leten-lager-sedmicza-na-mladite-gotvachi/

Find other courses from Sharena Fabrika here: https://en.sharenafabrika.com/ 

Media Contact
Melanie Marten
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[email protected]
www.thecoup.de

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