Arriving in the UK from Slovakia for a summer break, Vladimir didn’t originally plan on being a chef. Teaching runs through his family and he had been studying special educational needs, but he quickly discovered a love of life in the kitchen while working as a kitchen porter in Cambridge. 

Stating a Lifelong Passion 

What began as short summer stint soon became a lifelong passion as he embraced the camaraderie, pace and energy of the professional kitchen, describing it as unlike anything he’d ever experienced.  

With a young family to support, he worked hard and progressed quickly, putting himself through formal qualifications while building his skills at Loch Fyne. It was here that he learned to love everything that comes from the sea. It was Adrian Scarlett, his head chef who later became a lifelong friend, that recognised Vladimir’s potential and hunger for knowledge and encouraged him to pursue cooking. 

Varied Experience and Competitions 

At this point in his career, Vladimir says he became obsessed with food and studied every cookbook he could. He went on to work at a two-Rosette hotel, followed by Mark Poynton’s Michelin-starred Alimentum. He later joined Cambridge University as head chef at Riverside Restaurant, a role that brought more balance, giving him more time with his two young children. 

Since then, he’s gained valuable experience across several prestigious competitions, including twice reaching the Roux Scholarship semi-finals. Alongside entering competitions Vladimir also enjoys developing his skills through stages, with his first one being at Gordon Ramsay Holdings’ York & Albany with Colin Buchan. Several more stages followed, including Roganic, The Ledbury with Brett Graham and Dabbous with Ollie Dabbous. 

His career has also seen him working for South Farm, one of the busiest independent wedding venues in the country. His current role at Cambridge Dining Company is incredibly varied and sees him developing menus for restaurants and large-scale events as well as training staff and managing compliance processes.  

Finding Inspiration 

Vladimir’s inspiration comes from exceptional seasonal produce, travel experiences, dining out and researching new dishes. He enjoys drawing on classic dishes and flavour combinations, then adding his own personality and a contemporary twist. 

He says a passion for flavour, hospitality and great food is at the heart of everything for him. That passion runs deep in his family, and he describes his late mother and his father both as being incredibly talented and enthusiastic cooks, who taught him about the traditional cuisine of his Slovak roots. His lifelong appreciation for quality and craftsmanship in food stems from childhood too, he has strong recollections such as driving an hour to a local ice cream shop to enjoy something  exceptionally well made. 

Family First 

Having a family at a young age was one of the biggest challenges that shaped him, he knew he had to make every moment in the kitchen count and spent much of his limited spare time reading, practising and learning new techniques. With his children now much older, he describes spending time together as a family as one of his greatest joys. He also enjoys running, live music and cooking for friends, adding that he and his partner love to host.  

Focus on the Final 

Vladimir describes being overjoyed to be in this year’s NCOTY final, having reached the semi-finals in previous years. With a firm belief in staying curious, he brings years of dedication and focus to the final.