The name suits the place: Restaurant Bulvar (Avenue) on Petrovka Street is filled with a stream of light coming in through the windows on Strastnoi Blvd. Here you can dine without disturbances or distractions of any kind; the place is quiet and secluded even though it is in the heart of the city. Top businessmen and politicians are often seen here, along with those who like quiet surroundings and unobtrusively perceptive service.

Thomas Chiarelli, 29, the man behind the meals served at Bulvar, promises to open new avenues to culinary happiness. Although Executive Chef Chiarelli took over the job just two months ago, he has already managed to create a large innovative menu catering to the restaurant’s new European cuisine. "At Bulvar I’m trying to show what my culture is all about," he says.

He whips up such mouthwatering dishes as duck carpaccio, Marseille fish soup with cheese, and hot perch sashimi. Aside from the salmon and black cod, one can try mahi-mahi, sea bass, tuna and Greenland halibut fillets. For meat, there are also plenty of choices. The desserts are another standout feature at Bulvar: Alsacian apple pie with icecream, and the chocolate bomb with green tea are the specialties of the house. For those without a sweet tooth, the cheese menu provides a marvelous dessert option. Chiarelli and his team even bake their own fresh bread.

Chiarelli loves to cook. He got into cooking by accident when he filled in as a dishwasher in a local French restaurant. "Working in the kitchen is definitely not as romantic as some young people think. As I looked at the head chefs I never thought I’d be one of them," says Chiarelli.

Growing up in France, Chiarelli recalls watching his mother prepare unforgettable dishes with simple ingredients. Luckily, his parents gave him the foundation for becoming a talented chef. "I’ve always had a passion for food and volunteered to do all of the cooking for festive events at home. But I never thought I’d end up working as a chef in a professional kitchen."

Chiarelli is a self-taught chef with a peculiar background: He started taking psychology courses when he enrolled in a university, but gave up his studies just two years later. If he’s not cooking up something tasty at Bulvar, Chiarelli can be found reading a good book or watching an exciting movie, like "The Matrix" with Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne. He’s partial to photography, psychology and philosophy.

What helps keep you interested in gastronomy?

I’m interested not so much in the food, ingredients or culinary techniques, but in the global, historic aspect of cooking. I’m culinarily curious. Gastronomy is a very exciting science with numerous fantastic topics to read and learn about. You must have heard about the famed French gourmet Brillat-Savarin, who wrote the spectacular book "Psychology of Taste." I can’t help quoting one of my favorite citations: "The discovery of a new dish is more significant for the happiness of people than the discovery of a new star in the sky." I fully agree with him.

Why did you exchange France for Moscow?

Although the population in France is extremely diverse and there’s a big mixture of various ethnic groups, French cuisine is very "buttoned-up" and conservative. French cooking keeps aloof from the rest of the world’s cuisines. Many French chefs who have been cooking for years try to stave off the culinary integration that is in full swing all over the world. Recently, various cooking styles and traditions have been turning world gastronomy into a "melting pot" of cooking. French chefs prefer not to notice this ongoing phenomenon. So, I believe, I came to Moscow in search of culinary encouragement. At Bulvar, I do my best to allow each dish I cook to evolve within the traditional framework. And although most of my creations are of a contemporary design and appeal, they preserve their original and recognizable textures and flavors.

Do you often shun culinary traditions?

Of course I don’t! I have nothing against culinary traditions since they are very important to the understanding of the culinary field. But I’m an advocate of innovation and evaluation in the restaurant world and in gastronomy, too. So, I especially welcome those guests who are willing to be adventurous in their dining. With the sheer amount of choices, eating out has become more than a challenge of discernment. Modern people live more for the moment. They come to a restaurant to spend the entire evening entertaining themselves by enjoying well-prepared unusual food, getting relief from outside stresses over a glass of wine and a slice of Camembert, and enjoying the conversation.

It’s common knowledge that Russians are into strong drinks. What do your regulars usually drink during dinner?

The bulk of Bulvar’s guests have wine with dinner. More people are drinking Spanish, French and Italian wines. But Argentinean, South African, Chilean and Portuguese wines keep gaining momentum. Popularity continues to grow with Tuscan, Lebanese and Israeli varieties, while Bordeaux and Californian reds remain eternal favorites.

You told me you were shy as a child. Has your profession helped you overcome that?

I think I’m still quite a shy person but at the same time I’m very open-minded. Reserved and cool people don’t make good chefs, I suppose. Cooking’s remained my vocation, and maybe if I were a classically trained chef, I wouldn’t have been so carried away by cooking. Strange as it might seem, the experiences of your life influence even what goes on the plate. Each dish has to be thoroughly conceived and thought of. That doesn’t mean that a simple dish should take three days to prepare. In order to serve food that tastes great, you should respect the ingredients, your colleagues, and yourself. Chefs are only as good as the people who help them. And the whole staff constantly has to advance the process of finding the right formula of this or that dish.