Rosey’s Mark at Pagur 2025 International Festival
From October 1st to 5th in Golden sands, Bulgaria took place the first edition of PAGUR festival, an international forum for young talents in tourism. In fact, the 5 days on the Black Sea coast were an exciting and inspiring meeting of haute cuisine and all the elements related to impeccable hospitality – fine dishes, desserts, drinks, selected ingredients.
The project is an initiative of the Bulgarian Association for Culinary Culture, with main driver is the chairman of the Association, chef Petar Yorgov, supported by the Municipality of Varna and GRIFID Hotels. The festival is conceived as a bridge between education and business and as a chance for new partnerships and future careers in the field of tourism and hospitality. And it definitely fulfilled its mission to be an inspiration for all who believe that tourism is the art of creating experiences, and that taste brings emotion.
The main focus of the forum was on young talents from vocational schools of tourism and catering and from culinary universities in Bulgaria, who competed in 4 different categories under the guidance and critical evaluations of notable names from the world of cooking, pastry and mixology. The competition part ended with an official award ceremony during a remarkable gala dinner on the evening of October 4th. In addition to the competition program for young chefs, bartenders, pastry chefs and waiters, a parallel program of presentations under the name Flavour Couture was held on October 3rd and 4th.
On the Flavour Couture stage, notable companies and the people behind them were invited to present their products and ingredients in the food and beverage sector, including Dabov specialty coffee and barista Yordan Dabov, Yulia Pandzherova and the Olimport assortment, Puratos chocolate with chef Evgeni Filchev and chef Kateryna Sudak, the Association of Saffron Producers in Bulgaria with Antonio Bonev, Tsvetan Dimitrov and the green cheese from Cherni Vit, and and other guardians and inspirers of taste and specific local food ingredients. It was a great honor and pleasure for us to also present Rosey’s Mark, with a focus on the possible diverse applications of the Bulgarian rose in food, especially when it falls into the hands of experienced and creative chefs, pastry chefs and drink mixologists. Additional value and emotion was brought by chef Krasimir Banaliev, who hospitably invited the presenters for short interviews “On the soft sofa with Krasi” on stage.
As a final word, we say a big “Thank you!” to Chef Yorgov and his team for making us part of the first edition of Pagur. And we felt completely aligned with the goals of the forum. On such a stage and in such kitchens, taste meets emotion, sweetness brings smiles, and hospitality through food and drinks is a true experience that tells stories. Until the next edition of Pagur, for a new portion of inspiration and talent!
