World-famous Israeli Chef Kobi Mizrahi visited Bulgaria in May and spread the wonders of Israeli culinary culture to this Balkan country during his visit. Mizrahi is the president of the Israeli Institute of Applied Culinary Art, served as the Chef Manager of Shimon Peres during his term as President of Israel, and represents Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs at culinary events throughout the world.

Chef Mizrahi’s first stop was at the Sveta Marina home for the mentally disabled, where he conducted a cooking workshop with residents at the center. Mizrahi, together with the residents, prepared typical Israeli dishes to the lively sounds of Israeli music.

The Israeli Embassy in Sofia ‘adopted’ the home several years ago and conducts activities for the residents on a regular basis. Some of the participants had difficulty using the sharp kitchen utensils, but Chef Mizrahi gave them confidence and helped them in every aspect of the food preparation. Mizrahi himself believes in equality and the need to contribute to society, having established the Voluntary Chefs for Children organization in 2010, which works with children at risk.

Yoram Elron, the Israeli Ambassador to Bulgaria: "Kobi Mizrahi is not only a most talented and skilled chef, but also and most importantly, a wonderful human being who aims to bring joy and smiles all around him. Indeed, the smiles on the faces of those participating in the workshop in the Sveta Marina home is priceless".

His next stop in Bulgaria was at the Evergreen Talents group, which assists individuals 55 and over in returning to the job market. Mizrahi delivered a cooking seminar to equip participants with knowledge and tools in the field of cooking, which will help them find employment.

In addition to his in-person appearances, Chef Mizrahi was interviewed in the Bulgarian print media and a television program broadcast on Bulgari’s Nova TV channel, where he prepared a typical Israeli dish for the viewing audience.