Meet Petar Sikima, Ecxecutive Chef.

Petar began his Avalon journey in 2011 as a Chef de Partie and has since worked on almost every ship in the fleet. With more than 25 years of culinary experience, he has risen to become one of Avalon’s most trusted and respected Executive Chefs. Known for his passion, discipline, and love of pasta, Petar combines technical precision with heartfelt leadership, inspiring both his teams and his guests season after season.

Few names carry as much respect in the Avalon fleet as Petar’s. With more than two decades of experience and countless voyages behind him, Petar is one of the most treasured Executive Chefs on Europe’s rivers. His career has been defined by passion, discipline, and an unwavering love for food – but also by the people and moments that have shaped him along the way.

In this interview, Petar reflects on his beginnings, his culinary philosophy and the personal inspiration that keeps him moving forward season after season.

Petar, Could you introduce yourself in your own words – when did your culinary journey begin, and where has it taken you today as an Executive Chef with Avalon Europe?

My culinary journey started 25 years ago at the Hyatt Regency in Belgrade, where I learned very early about high pressure and expectations in the kitchen. You needed to have it all to manage the job – love for it, respect, and the desire to learn. Very early on I understood what it means to be a chef in a kitchen. I can thank each and every one of my Executive Chefs for teaching me everything I know and everything I am today.

What was the very first memory that made you fall in love with cooking – and do you still think of that moment when you step into a galley today?

My mother and my older brother were always very good in cooking, so I fell in love with it as a child. My first professional cooking experience was also my luck – my Executive Chef back then was a French pastry chef who created beautiful dishes that we presented together to our guests. The faces I saw as they enjoyed the food will never leave my mind. Even today, I still think of those faces.

If you had to describe your cooking philosophy in three words, what would they be – and how do they show up in the menus you create onboard?

Tasty, simple, beautiful. Making food from local areas and learning how to prepare it is what our guests mostly enjoy – and you can find this all throughout our menus. It’s not about overcomplicating; it’s about authenticity and taste.

What have you learned about people – not just cooking – from leading a galley team season after season?

Everyone who comes onboard to work needs inspiration, a role model, a good system, and a kind word to be successful. Without those things, even the best skills don’t last long.

In a space as intense as a galley, what is your personal secret for staying calm and focused when everything is happening at once?

Not all of us can be calm all the time. A kitchen is a pressure job – you need to be ready for that. But with enough experience and knowledge, you gain confidence in yourself, and that results in calmness. You must be willing to learn, to sacrifice, and to collect years of experience before you can truly stay calm in the storm. For me, I was always a smiling person, trying to keep my mind positive. That helps.

Was there ever a single service, a single dinner, where you felt ‘this is why I do what I do’? What happened that night?

I cannot reduce it to one moment. There have been many successful dinners. But what truly makes me happy is when you put in hard work, create something new, and then see people’s faces as they try it for the first time – and they love it. That is exactly why I do this job. Happy belly, happy people.

If you could introduce one completely new culinary concept to the river cruise world, what would it be and why?

Once per cruise, I would love to do a brunch. It gives guests the mindset to enjoy the best of both worlds at once. The only challenge is the working hours of our crew, but it would be something unique and enjoyable.

Which dish on your menu carries the most emotion for you personally – and why does it mean so much?

Pasta. I love it, I love to eat it, I love to make it. There are endless possibilities. I spent many years working in Italian restaurants, and I fell in love with Italian food. For me, pasta is not just food – it’s a memory, a skill, and an emotion on a plate.

Where do you see river cruise cuisine heading in the next 5–10 years, and how do you prepare your team for that future?

There will be more ships, and with them, more new things to implement and discover. It will bring challenges, but also opportunities. For me – challenge accepted. My team and I are ready to learn and adapt.

When you look back at your career one day, what do you want your galley teams and guests to remember most about you?

I would like to be remembered as a good man, as someone who can teach and inspire. And when guests go home, I hope they will always remember my pasta dishes with a smile.

What (or who) inspires you to never give up – to wake up every day ready to give your best? Is there someone special in your life who gives you strength when things get tough?

My wife is my engine. She is the one who always picks me up when I feel down. My sister, her children, my brother, and my friends are all a motivation for me. But my biggest joy in life is traveling with my wife and my dog. That keeps me alive and moving forward.

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In the end, it’s never just about the food.
It’s about the stories behind every dish, the memories stirred by every flavour and the quiet leadership that turns a Galley into a family.

With every plate he serves, Petar Sikima reminds us:
Excellence is not a secret. It’s a craft.