Alexander ShapovalovCommunity profile

Alexander Shapovalov helped his mother and grandmother in the kitchen from a young age, as they were always excellent cooks. This sparked his initial interest in cooking, which later developed into a passion. After graduating from high school, Alexander enrolled in a firefighting program in Georgievsk, while also working part-time as a waiter at the upscale restaurant Bella Donna. The restaurant had a rule that waiters had to go into the kitchen to see how the chefs were preparing the dishes. Alexander didn't just watch; he actively participated in the cooking process, which he enjoyed. On his days off, he would volunteer in the kitchen without pay, eager to learn and gain experience. Later, he was offered a position in the kitchen, where he worked for a year. After completing his studies, Alexander moved to Moscow, where he started working as a cook in a small project. Shortly after, he was invited to become a chef at the Sheraton hotel at the "Sheremetyevo" airport. The high standards of the hotel further fueled Shapovalov's passion for the culinary world and the restaurant industry in general. After four months of successful work, he joined the army, and after that, he returned to Georgievsk for six months, where he progressed from a cook to a chef. Realizing that there were more opportunities for growth in Moscow, Alexander moved back to the capital. This second attempt was successful: the 22-year-old chef joined the renowned White Rabbit holding, where he joined Luciano's team under the leadership of Andrey Kashkadan. After working for seven months, Shapovalov was offered a position as a sous chef, and he was also invited to the same position at the "Admiral" yacht club, also under Kashkadan's culinary direction. He worked there for a season, and then moved into catering, wanting to learn how to manage large banquets at a high level. At the age of 24, Alexander became the head chef at the Water House yacht club, where he completely changed the menu concept from Caucasian cuisine to Mediterranean cuisine and seafood, significantly increasing revenue. After the pandemic, Shapovalov moved to Krasnodar and, in just a month and a half, progressed from a cook to a sous chef at Arkady Novikov's restaurant "Klevo." After working there for a year and a half, he moved to "Yuzhane." During this time, Alexander met Ajay Singh, a well-known restaurateur from Rostov (the "Praviy Bereg" restaurant group), and they launched the Middle Eastern and Caucasian restaurant Kaf-Kas six months later. In 2024, Kaf-Kas received an award in a special category from the "Palm Branch of the Restaurant Business" award – "The Most Promising Caucasian Restaurant in Southern Russia."