A culinary team challenge under the motto “The Team is Everything” took place during the innovative youth camp “Change Begins with Me.” This was implemented as part of the project “The Youth of Bulgaria – Opportunities for Creative Development,” executed by the “Youth Guard Squads” Association, with financial support from the “Erasmus+” program, project number 2024-3-BG01-KA154-YOU-000288013.
The initiative in the town of Chepelare included the participation of Deputy Minister of Education and Science Tanya Mihaylova, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Petar Mladenov, Honorary Consul of Italy in Plovdiv Giuseppe de Francesco, Chairwoman of the Administrative Court – Plovdiv Mariana Shoteva, Olympic champion Ekaterina Dafovska, football legend Aleksandar Aleksandrov – Kriviyata, bronze medalist from Rio 2016 Elitsa Yankova – Erski, winner of “Games of Will” and multiple Serbian champion Aleksa Erski, world and 4-time European champion Bilyana Dudova, European medalist Janett Nemeth, young athletics hopeful Alexandra Nacheva, Tsveteyoana Peycheva – absolute world champion with the junior ensemble, captain of Bulgaria’s national tennis team Valentin Dimov, chess player Tsveta Galunova, Bulgarian national basketball players Yordan Minchev and Nikolay Mihaylov, national boxers Ergyunal Sabri and Roselin Bachevski, actor and director of the Konstantin Velichkov Drama and Puppet Theater in Pazardzhik Dimitar Banenkin, Father Dimitar Dimitrov – parish priest at the Catholic church “Holy Spirit” in the Trakia district of Plovdiv, chef Andre Tokev, and youths from across the country.
The participants had to create an authentic Italian pizza by developing a strategy and dividing responsibilities. They split into three teams, led by Chef Tokev, Giuseppe De Francesco, and the deputy ministers. The jury included Bulgarian football legend Alexander Alexandrov, Mariana Shoteva, and Dimitar Banenkin. The event was hosted by sports journalist Radostin Lyubomirov, who contributed to the good mood with brief interviews with the star chefs.
The athletes took off their sports gear, and the deputy ministers shed their suits to put on aprons, but they retained their competitive spirit. Under Chef Tokev’s guidance, they spent two hours kneading, arranging, and decorating the perfect pizza—from classic versions to improvisations with favorite ingredients. After an intense culinary battle, including wrestling matches and sabotaging each other’s ingredients, the teams presented their masterpieces. From the “white” team, Giuseppe De Francesco showcased a pizza in classic Italian style. The “green” team’s presentation was delivered by Deputy Minister Tanya Mihaylova, who remarked that when you put your heart into something, whether in the kitchen or in education, the result is always inspiring. Chef Andre Tokev and basketball national player Yordan Minchev explained the steps taken by the “red” team to create pizzas with a modern twist. Ultimately, the impartial jury awarded the victory to team spirit and all participants in the initiative.
The event is part of the project “The Young People of Bulgaria – Opportunities for Creative Development,” implemented by the Association “Youth Guard Squads,” with financial support from the Erasmus+ Programme, Project No. 2024-3-BG01-KA154-YOU-000288013. The main goal of the initiative is to promote the personal and creative development of young people through innovative approaches, non-formal education, active teamwork, and inspiring meetings with figures from public, cultural, and sports life.
