Sofia has not received approval to be included as a destination in the prestigious Michelin guide after the inspectors' audit that ended this year.
This was announced to TravelNews by the famous chef Boris Petrov. According to information from the inspection, the reasons are complex and mainly affect the service, menu, cuisine, but also the overall restaurant experience.
Among the main findings are weaknesses in service, excessively long and voluminous menus, which according to the inspectors are often a sign of the use of frozen products, as well as a serious discrepancy between prices and the quality of the service offered.
Another serious drawback is the lack of sufficient Bulgarian wines in many of the restaurants. According to Michelin's assessment, local cuisine and local wines are among the key elements in evaluating a destination. The inspectors also noted the lack of trained sommeliers or staff to present the wine lists and tell guests about Bulgarian producers. It was also stated that Bulgaria still lacks established traditions for offering quality wines by the glass.
The report also noted problems with communication with foreign visitors, as in a number of establishments the waiters did not speak English at the required level.
Despite the criticism, the inspectors gave a positive assessment of the variety of international cuisines in the capital. According to them, Sofia has good Japanese, Asian, Turkish, Greek and Mediterranean restaurants, but even there the service remains a major problem.
The famous culinary chef Boris Petrov sharply criticized the state of the restaurant sector after the audit. “Sofia has a few chefs here and there, but no restaurateurs“, he commented. “We are returning to the level of the late 1990s. We don't have hospitality, we only look at the kitchen and the interior," he emphasized.
According to him, most owners believe that a modern interior and a talented chef are enough to reach the Michelin level. However, according to Petrov, a world-class restaurant is built with a holistic approach to the guest, a high level of service, a professional team and perseverance.
He called on restaurateurs to visit leading establishments around the world and learn from good practices, instead of copying ideas from the Internet or relying solely on television popularity.
Petrov revealed that he attended the meetings surrounding the international audit to observe the reactions of his colleagues after the inspectors' assessments. According to him, the main problem facing the Bulgarian restaurant sector is not the lack of talented chefs, but the unwillingness to change the way of thinking.
The Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (BHRA) Atanas Dimitrov told TravelNews that the report will be reviewed in detail. “We will analyze the report in full and prepare recommendations for restaurateurs. Together with the Municipal Enterprise “Tourism“ of Starichna Municipality, specific measures will be taken to eliminate the weaknesses”, Dimitrov pointed out. He added that a strategy will be developed to improve the quality of service, increase the professional training of staff and promote Bulgarian cuisine and wines as a key element of the restaurant product. According to him, this will benefit both business and the development of Sofia as a gastronomic destination.
The Sofia Municipality has already announced that it is launching an ambitious 18-month strategy, the aim of which is to turn the city into a recognizable European gastronomic destination. The plan includes measures to improve the quality of service, promote Bulgarian wines and local products, support independent restaurants and improve the urban environment so that the capital attracts more tourists who stay longer and spend more.
“We want the world to get to know Sofia through our eyes - the way we see it every day: colorful, vibrant with life, and now convincingly delicious“, said Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev. According to him, gastronomy is an integral part of the experience in a city and can become a key factor in the development of tourism and the local economy.
Among the main highlights of the strategy is the introduction of a common standard of service in restaurants. Establishments will be encouraged to offer a warm welcome, professional presentation of dishes and a relaxed atmosphere that will make dining a memorable experience.
Special attention will also be paid to Bulgarian wines. The plan envisages that local varieties will occupy a more visible place in wine lists, encouraging their offering by the glass and their better presentation to guests.
Another important goal is the promotion of seasonal and authentic cuisine. Restaurants will be encouraged to work with short menus, products with clear origins and QR codes, through which visitors will be able to learn more about the producers and the history of the ingredients used.
The strategy also places emphasis on independent restaurants, which will be more actively included in the tourist presentation of Sofia through the Visit Sofia platform. Mentoring programs are also envisaged, in which established chefs will work with young professionals to support the development and retention of personnel in the sector.
Part of the plan are also measures for sustainable development – promoting local sourcing, environmental practices, cleaning up graffiti, improving pedestrian spaces and expanding information in English for foreign visitors.
The Sofia Municipality emphasizes that Sofia's passage through a culinary audit does not automatically mean awarding restaurants with “Michelin“ stars. The audit aims to assess whether the city has a sufficiently developed and sustainable restaurant ecosystem to be included in a future selection of the prestigious guide.
According to experts, however, the greatest benefit may come even without the “Michelin“ awards. Stronger international recognition, higher quality of service and an emphasis on local products can bring significant benefits to restaurants, wineries, farmers, hotels, transport companies and cultural sites, turning gastronomy into one of the drivers of Sofia's tourism development.
Miroslav Ivanov
travelnews.bg