Alexander NikolaenkoCommunity profile

He was born in the city of Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) and currently lives there. He studied at Lyceum No. 11, training as a cook, waiter, and bartender. He is married for over 20 years and has a son. He began his career in the hospitality industry as a waiter. After working for over three years, he moved to a bartending position, where he worked for over two years. While working as a bartender, he had a culinary internship at a restaurant under the guidance of a Moscow-based chef. In 2006, he became the sous chef at the Milo club, working under Chef Anton Koval'ov. After working with him for over two years, he became the head chef at the literary cafe "Bezukhov," where he managed the kitchen for over eight years. He also opened several popular establishments, including a panoramic Bavarian restaurant and a Latin American bar. Currently, he works at the "19" restaurant and the Vinedo wine bar, where he is developing a cuisine focused on wine pairings. He is passionate about Scandinavian cuisine because it is similar to the cuisine of our region, and he also experiments with fermentation. He regularly hosts culinary dinners and events. He has been a guest speaker at various professional events, such as "Pir Expo," "Breakfast with the Chef," Bones, "The World of Restaurants," and "Arzamas Duck." In 2024, Alexander received an award in the "Chef of the Year" category from the "Best in the Industry 2024. Palm Branch of the Restaurant Business" awards.