Nikol Popova

After Pavyllon and my great experience there I did decide to do my first 3 Michelin star restaurant experience. I started as a commis chef in garde manger which is very big section doing amuse-bouche, starters, canapes and cheese 4 months after I was in charge of the section doing mise en place list for the whole section, doing orders and supervising all the preparation and quality, on the 6th month I was moved to fish garnish and 3 months later to meat garnish and 3 months later to fish sauce where I am currently learning how to make fish base, fish sauces and preparing some seafoods and fishes.

I started in Garde Manger section where I learn and master preparation of cold and hot dishes. I get to teach and supervised the new coming chefs in section.I learned how to manage the section when senior chefs in section were off and 6 months later I was introduced to Garnish section and 4 months after I moved to sauce section where we did variety of classic and modern sauces as well as extractions of variety of products after I was moving between those sections and helping where needed.

At Annabel's I was part of the Private dinning team where we used to prepare food for parties and events. We used to work with very seasonal products and changing menu according to the season. I was trained in cold section where we prepared all the canapes and starters plus side dishes, fermentations and the last few months of my experience there I was moved to meat and fish section where we prepared braised short ribs, aged beef, preparation of varieties of fish such as salmon, turbot, sea bass, dover sole. We used to create special menus for some parties which was quite interesting as once we did entire menu only with traditional Scottish dishes. We were small team but very close to each other it was truly great experience!

I started at the Connaught as a commis chef and few months later i was promoted to Demi chef de partie. I used to work at the main kitchen where we served food for 3 bars, in room dinning and private events. There I learned the basics of kitchen as well how to work clean and tidy. I learned how to be a team player and how communication is important key of success.

When I started at Premier Inn I was helping to clean dishes in the kitchen than slowly start helping chefs with their mise en place so i become a team member preparing simple dishes, I start learning how to do orders and inventory of the stock I was helping my head chef and covering his duties when he was off. Two years later I got promoted as a Team Leader where I was mostly doing paperwork as rotas, orders etc.

I was reading and trying recipes at home so that was the time when I decide to get to know real kitchen and I moved to The Connaught Hotel where I gained most of my knowledge as a commis chef.