Denis ShelepnevCommunity profile

Denis worked as a chef at White Rabbit and Chef's Table, and then participated in the opening of the restaurants KRASOTA and Artest. It was at Artest, in the autumn of 2021, that the team received two Michelin stars. After that, he worked at the O2 restaurant in The Ritz-Carlton.

Denis Shelepnev was born and raised in Krasnoyarsk. His career began at the "Oblaka" restaurant, where he progressed from a cook to an acting head chef. His discipline and desire to grow were immediately recognized. After that, Denis founded his own business – a network of grill bars near universities, but in 2016, the project had to be closed due to preparations for the Universiade. Then he got a job at a local Italian restaurant. It was there that he gained invaluable experience: he learned how to work with dough, perfected the technique of making pizza and other basics of Italian cuisine. In parallel with his main projects, Denis was always passionate about pastry. He worked with professional pastry chefs, learned how to work with chocolate, and refined his classic techniques. In 2016, he moved to Moscow, where he worked as a chef at White Rabbit and Chef's Table, and then participated in the opening of the restaurants KRASOTA and Artest. It was at Artest, in the autumn of 2021, that the team received two Michelin stars. After that, he worked at the O2 restaurant in The Ritz-Carlton. This period was crucial for Denis: it was then that he made many professional connections with chefs and restaurateurs, with whom he maintains relationships to this day. The chef shares: "Later, considering the situation in the country, I thought a lot about emigration. Recruiters offered options in Azerbaijan or Kazakhstan, to head restaurants in Russia, but I refused because of the low pay. Instead, I chose a strategy of "golden mean": a small, but stable project, where you can earn money doing what you love – for example, Italian cuisine. That's how the idea for "Pasta e Basta" came about in 2023 – not a grand, but honest restaurant that can be scaled, simply and deliciously feeding people while feeling confident. We started experimenting: we flew to Italy, France, Monaco, tasted, implemented, filmed videos, and promoted the place. I had a percentage of the profits – this was both an opportunity to earn money and freedom of creativity. We worked as a team of two with the owner, without managers, and that's how I truly got to know Italy: through people, products, and culture. During that same period, I met Vyacheslav Martynenko from Soho Family." In the spring of 2025, he took on the position of head chef at the Zea restaurant within the Soho Family holding at the Radisson Collection Hotel, where he demonstrates his mastery of clean flavors, unusual combinations, and modern techniques, drawing on Mediterranean influences. This project has become a space for his growth and realization. Denis prefers to base his dishes on timeless classics, mixing them with modern techniques and adapting them for the Moscow audience. His great inspiration is Chef René Redzepi from the unique restaurant Noma, who, after working for about 20 years in Copenhagen and maintaining three Michelin stars, remains a key player in the world of gastronomy. His restaurant made a huge leap, moving to Japan to follow new trends, taking not only the entire team of chefs, but also their families. He plans to go there soon to visit this place and, possibly, introduce new techniques and elements of culture into the Zea project.