Vova Tashaev

My culinary career began while I was still in school. I worked for several years as a waiter and bartender, sneaking peeks into the kitchen between customer rushes and watching the chefs work. It dawned on me that the kitchen and the restaurant atmosphere were where I truly belonged—this was what I loved.

After serving in the Israeli Army, I enrolled in the Bishulim School of Culinary Arts. After earning my diploma, I worked in various establishments in Haifa, including the renowned French restaurant “1872.” I then returned to Tel Aviv, where I became the sous-chef at the “2C” restaurant. As I worked in restaurants, I constantly sought to learn more and improve my craft, completing courses at the Ramat Hagolan Winery’s School of Winemaking and Sommeliers and the Zman Amiti School.

In 2005, a turning point in my professional life occurred when I began working at the fine dining restaurant “Catit.” My career advanced rapidly—I went from sous-chef, pastry chef, and sommelier to head of one of Tel Aviv’s top gastronomic projects within five years. This experience gave me the confidence that I could be a head chef.

Later, I developed the menu for the Israeli cuisine restaurant “Abushdid” while continuing to explore and experiment. In 2012, I launched my VIP catering project, “White Tablecloth,” focusing on haute cuisine and collectible wines.

In 2014, I received an invitation to Ukraine from the First Line Group of restaurants and hotels. I was curious to see how my cuisine would be received in their new Kyiv restaurant, “Ulyublenyi Dyadya.” In its first year, the restaurant won the Golden Palm Award and the “Salt” Award for the Best New Opening in 2015. In 2016, we launched another project, “The Life of Remarkable People”.

Currently, I oversee six projects within the First Line Group: “The Life of Remarkable People,” “Ulyublenyi Dyadya,” “Nasha Dacha,” “Chekhov,” “Abazhur,” and “16/54.” I split my time between Kyiv and Kharkiv, where I cook, host masterclasses, and lead culinary seminars.

I love cooking—lots of it, delicious food anywhere. I cook everything, and the more creative and vibrant, the better. My kitchen features an enormous variety of ingredients. I think no other restaurant in Ukraine uses as many different products as “Ulyublenyi Dyadya.”

I aspire to become the best restaurateur in the world—why not? I believe the most important person in a restaurant is the guest. Unfortunately, there aren’t many places that understand this. A good restaurateur must love cooking, know about wine, cherish their guests, and understand that they have far more responsibilities than privileges. The better you become, the more responsibilities you carry.