The next evening from the THE MENU series at Hotel Gela is approaching.
THE MENU is a collection of special dinners where we invite some of the finest chefs in Bulgarian gastronomy. Each edition is a meeting point between place, season, and the unique signature of the guest chef.
This is not just a dinner, but an experience — a table where people, flavors, and stories come together. An evening where food speaks.
Our next guest is Maria Zhekova — winner of the seventh season of *MasterChef Bulgaria*, a photographer by profession, and a cook by calling.
Maria is one of those rare individuals who seek the meaning of food beyond the plate. After her MasterChef victory, she chose a quieter path — a life in the Rhodope Mountains, close to the land, the seasons, and honest ingredients. There, she created her own project dedicated to Bulgarian flavors and traditions, telling the stories of food from different corners of the country.
Her cuisine is deeply rooted in Bulgarian heritage — in fire, in the garden, in that old knowledge of taste passed down from generation to generation.
The theme of this evening is “Fire and Embers.”
The menu will be prepared over oak wood in Gela’s oven, just as our ancestors once cooked — slowly, patiently, and with deep respect for the ingredients. The flame will touch the meat, the vegetables, the bread, giving them that rich, earthy sweetness that only fire can create.
“Fire and Embers” is a dinner devoted to our roots — to the flavors we remember from village courtyards, from old ovens, from the tables where families once gathered.
THE MENU XV dinner with Maria Zhekova will take place at Restaurant ZUNA, Hotel Gela.
Seats are limited.
For reservations and more information:
📞 +359 877 868 877
✉️ reservations@hotelgela.com
Guests are welcome to combine the dinner with an overnight stay and spend a full weekend in the mountains.
We look forward to welcoming you around our table.
Prices: