• Simona Preda is a passionate and dedicated pastry chef, whose love for the art of confectionery is reflected in every dessert she creates.
With a meticulous approach and a keen attention to detail, Simona combines classic techniques with creative accents, offering dishes that delight both the taste buds and the aesthetic senses.
Her experience in the field, acquired through years of practice and refinement, positions her as a valuable presence in the Romanian gastronomic landscape. Devoted to quality and authenticity, Simona Preda transforms simple ingredients into true works of culinary art, bringing joy and flavor to every sweet dish.
Together with her husband, chef Liviu Preda, Simona skillfully contributes to the success of the LIMÓN restaurant in Brașov, where her refined desserts perfectly complement the culinary experience offered to those who cross its threshold. We spoke with her about her beginnings, inspiration, challenges and the fragile balance between career and personal life.
1. For those who don't know you that well, tell us in a few words, who is Simona Preda?
Simona Preda is a member of the HoReCa field who deals with — I often joke — "with elevated blood sugar" those who cross its threshold. But I try to do it in a controlled and flavorful way, through desserts that convey emotion and respect for the ingredient.
2. What led you to pursue this career?
It was more of a happy accident than a conscious choice. I came from a different field – I worked with numbers, I had a schedule. "of a normal person", from Monday to Friday, and the weekends were dedicated to family. My husband, Liviu, was already working in the kitchen, and his schedule was completely opposite. After a few years of spending birthdays and holidays alone, I made a pragmatic analysis: I earned more, he had a low salary, so I suggested that he quit.
But instead, without telling me, he enrolled me in a pastry course. I found out when the school called me to confirm my participation! At first I went out of curiosity, I didn't like it at all, but since I'm a consistent person, I finished the course.
I did my internship at the Belvedere Hotel, where Liviu was working at the time. There I discovered that in the confectionery segment, work is as precise as in a pharmacy – if you don't respect the proportions, it won't work. Over time, I also learned the little tricks that turn mistakes into solutions. That's how it all started.
3. Did you grow up in a family passionate about desserts?
No, not at all. My mother made cozonac, pancakes, donuts, black pudding – simple, homemade things, not at all sophisticated. And I can't say that I was a big fan of sweets as a child. Maybe because, in those days, if you were craving something sweet, you were told: "eat an apple from the tree or a plum."
4. We know that together with chef Liviu Preda you offer special gastronomic experiences to those who cross the restaurant's threshold LEMONWhat is your favorite dish from the portfolio?
A dessert called Endorphin. I created it together with Liviu, after an experience in Prague, together with an extraordinary chef. The name perfectly reflects what you feel when you taste it – an explosion of pleasure. It is a dark chocolate and fruit cake, which represents us perfectly. It is our dessert "of the soul".
5. How would you define your working style? What experiences in your career do you think have had the greatest influence on refining it?
I think my style has developed naturally, through a combination of experiences. I have two principles that always guide me:
• First – I wonder how I would react if that dessert were put in front of me.
• Second – "If I wouldn't eat it, why would I give it to someone else?"
When we talk about refinement... there were times when refinement added value to a dessert, but there were also times when it didn't really matter.
The experiences that shaped me were varied, but working alongside master Ioan Florescu was essential. He constantly challenged us to find creative solutions and gave us the freedom to grow. It is very important to have in the first 3 years, in whatever field you are in, people who believe in you and who can challenge you to do more. And then, if you have a foundation in which you are very well anchored, one hundred percent you will be able to move mountains.
Every dessert for me is a story. I put a lot of soul into every detail – from the taste to the aesthetics – and the refinement comes from the desire to convey emotion to the one who enjoys it. Every dish must say something to the one who receives it.
6. What inspires you to create a new dessert?
Inspiration comes from anywhere. It can be a walk in the woods, a story told by someone, or even a challenge like "I have never eaten X". I like to experiment, to be brave. I've created desserts with spicy notes, with smoky flavors, and even one with an infusion of onion and baked shallots.
I like challenges and I hate routine. Maybe that's why I would never fit in a factory.
7. Do you prefer traditional tastes or are you more attracted to modern reinterpretations?
It depends on the context. We've had events where we had to completely improvise – for example, we cooked in the mountains, without electricity or gas, just over a wood fire, for guests from National Geographic, come to Romania to see the bison. We had to create eight dishes, including desserts, with only what we had on hand.
I think you have to master both the traditional, for authenticity, and the modern for creativity, and know when to combine or separate them. I never turn down a good cozonac, a plum tart, or homemade papanași.
8. What ingredient do you use most often in your dishes and why?
Love is the secret ingredient. But, practically speaking, the most used is butter – it gives texture, depth, flavor. I consider it an essential ingredient, which brings incredible value to any dessert. Chocolate is also indispensable, because it inspires and allows for a multitude of combinations.
9. If you had to choose an international Pastry Chef to work with on a new dessert, who would it be?
I don't have a specific name, but I would definitely choose someone from France. That's where the respect for detail, for the ingredient, for the final product is felt best. France is the cradle of pastry, and collaborating with a master there would be a lesson in precision, but also a challenge to bring the warmth and emotion that is sometimes missing in their very rigid approaches.
10. Was there ever a moment when you said to yourself "Okay, I'll give up and do something else"?
Yes, many times! HoReCa is a difficult, demanding field, where you juggle the needs of customers, colleagues and entrepreneurs. It's a chain that, theoretically, never ends and it's a chain in which you always have to be attentive to what's happening around you. There were times when I said I'd better focus on something else.
I even thought I could have been a psychologist, because I was told I somehow had this gift of solving the situations of those around me, or an actress (the fact that I didn't get into theater is my biggest regret) but my husband, a Scorpion which balances me, helped me see those difficult moments as mere obstacles. My passion for confectionery has always kept me on this path.
11. How difficult do you find it to combine family life with a demanding career in the hospitality industry?
It's extremely hard. In HoReCa, the customer often comes first, and personal life takes a back seat. To succeed, you need a partner who understands the sacrifices – either they're in the industry or they're incredibly supportive. In my case, the fact that we both work in HoReCa helps us a lot. We understand the pace, the lack of weekends, the long nights. It's a job that requires sacrifices, and family sometimes comes second. Liviu and I have learned to complement each other, but I've seen from other colleagues how difficult it is to explain to someone outside the industry what life in a kitchen means. It's a fragile balance, which requires a lot of communication and mutual support.
12. If you could go back in time, what advice would you give Simona Preda at the beginning of her career?
I've come across this question before and I can honestly say that I didn't know how to answer it. I've analyzed it, I've studied it from all sides, and I've come to the conclusion that there are some things that God allows in your life for a purpose, and you won't necessarily see that purpose right now, but you will see it someday.
I don't think I would change anything. I had an organic evolution, built step by step, with people and moments that forced me to adapt and grow. Every stage, every challenge had a purpose, and patience and perseverance led to the expected results.
However, I would tell Simona from the beginning to trust herself and accept challenges, even if they seem impossible. The moments when you have to create something from nothing – without the right ingredients or obvious solutions – and those around you don't even realize you had a problem, are the ones that show your true value.
Interview conducted by Gabriela Dan, Editor-in-Chief of Arta Albă
Read on White Art and: Recipe – Cake with chocolate mousse and orange cream
