Young Chefs' Week In The Balkan Countryside
A summer culinary camp for future global chefs.
Sharena Fabrika is a unique, self-sufficient campus located in the countryside of Bulgaria. Committed to culinary education, permaculture design, and the farm-to-table concept, as well as heritage crafts, it has become an international hub, attracting students, artisans, and visitors from around the world.
This summer, Sharena Fabrika is offering culinary training for youth from all over the world. The program is designed to provide career orientation for 16- to 18-year-olds. Students will learn from international professional chefs. The campus language is English.
Here are the three culinary directions that will be explored & the leading chefs behind them.
Pastry chef and instructor Yoanna Yordanova
Bread & Bakery
At the summer camp, students explore the science behind baking techniques and their process by French master baker Julien Cassin. Julien has years of experience working in French artisan bakeries and has had an international career, from co-founding Maison Coco in Sarajevo to teaching at Le Cordon Bleu in Seoul and working as head baker at the Elora Mill Hotel & Spa. Julien has taught the craft to bakers around the world, and his teaching experience includes leading professional courses at the prestigious culinary school Le Cordon Bleu, helping students build confidence, skills, and creativity. Currently in Bulgaria, Julien is preparing to share his global expertise with a new generation of professionals.
Pastry
Pastry chef and instructor Yoanna Yordanova trained at the École Ducasse in France, specializing in classic and contemporary pastry techniques.
Craft 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. The pastry experience will leave participants with a professional-level introduction to the art of dessert making.
Balkan & French Cuisine
Chef Henri Donneaux graduated from the renowned Culinary Institute in Namur, Belgium, where he specialized in French and Balkan Cuisine. He built his career on the international stage, traveling between Belgium, France, and the United States. For him, Bulgaria and Balkan cuisine bring a sense of home.
Farm-to-table & food photography
Unlike most culinary schools, which are located in urban areas, Sharena Fabrika is located in a rural area of the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. From that point forward, everything has followed the “roots-to-table” philosophy. 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. These gardens are cultivated through regenerative practices and are designed to be future permaculture landscapes.
They are guided by agriculture instructor Daniel Dimov, who created his first food forest at age 22.
Pastry chef instructor Yoanna Yordanova: “Seasonality is the heart of pastry making for me. Fresh fruits bring desserts to life – the taste, aroma, texture are different when they are in season. But it is even more important to think about sustainability and healthy eating – to use what nature gives us at the moment, to respect the products and to create desserts that are not only delicious, but also good for us and the planet.”
Participants will also develop their skills in plating, presentation, and food photography.
Young Chefs' Week at Sharena Fabrika
July 12 to 19, 2026
The accommodating Casa Art Hotel
Young Chefs’ Week will take place at the Sharena Fabrika Permaculture Gardens and the joyful Casa Art Hotel - a partner of the Sharena Fabrika campus. The all-inclusive package includes accommodations, activities, meals, excursions, insurance, and transfers to and from Sofia Airport.
Register here.
Find other courses from Sharena Fabrika here.
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