How does one earn recognition in gastronomy and regional cuisine?
What was the status of Slovenian cuisine when you first started cooking?
At that time, there was already the Slow Food movementwhich, following the Italian example, promotes local ingredients, direct contact with farmers and honest, clean food, protecting both tradition and the environment of the country. It was the Slow Food people who started organising events, trying to define what makes the Slovenian region unique and helping it to grow into a culinary destination. I believe I entered the food scene at the right time. A few years earlier, my efforts would probably not have had the same impact.
How would you describe your native cuisine today?
I think the word diversity describes it. Slovenia is one of the most geographically diverse regions in the world - every 20 kilometres the landscape changes and so do the ingredients we have available. It takes 45 minutes by car to get from the Alps to the Adriatic beach! And if you cook with terroir in mind, you are naturally guided by its seasonality, which can vary even within one small country. It pays for cooks to work with someone who understands nature well, but basically you just need to observe and be curious, whether you're in the woods or at the farmers' market.
Moreover, our country is surrounded by culinary regions such as Austria to the north, Italy to the west and the Balkans to the south, and we also border Hungary. Over the centuries, people have moved back and forth, passing through our country, and minorities still live here today. I know that plum dumplings are attributed to you Czechs - they represent the legacy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was adapted in Slovenia. However, at Hiša Franko we prepare them with a thin, soft dough similar to that used for Chinese dumplings. It is a tribute to the past. It is also a sure demonstration of the diversity that still influences Slovenian cuisine and its unmistakable character.
What did you have to do to get the world to notice that Slovenia has a culinary identity?
The attention I have drawn to Slovenian cuisine is the result of many factors. It was undoubtedly a combination of hard work and luck, which sometimes helps us achieve different goals in life, and of course Netflix and its Chef's Table series had a big influence. At the same time, Netflix chose our restaurant because it was already well-known in the region. By region, I mean Europe - we weren't that well known in the world. After Chef's Table aired, we had a breakthrough and more guests from the United States, who still make up a quarter of Hiša Franko's clientele. The next wave of popularity not only for us, but for the entirety of Slovenian gastronomy was triggered by the three Michelin stars we received in 2023.
You are, after all, a Slovenian diplomat. How do you represent your country abroad?
I should ask you that. But I hope I'm presenting it as it is. Cooking is like painting, and if I were to paint Slovenian cuisine, I would use a lot of colours. And it would be predominantly green. Studies have shown that Slovenia is one of the greenest countries in the world. green means that we live in harmony with nature, it relates to the way we make our living and it shows that we respect its resources. Most Slovenians have a garden behind their house and eat seasonally. That is why I am proud of our green Michelin star, which, together with the three red stars, proves that even haute cuisine can work sustainably. Yet it always depends on the context in which we cook. At Hiša Franko, we have gradually come to understand that it's not about being 100%, but being 100% committed to improving.
Why is the menu in your restaurant called Footprints?
We wonder if it shouldn't be called "foodprints". Anything we do as humans leaves a footprint on the planet, and that includes cooking. It is essential to be aware of the evolution of food. That's why we process micro-local ingredients in the restaurant and act in such a way as to write the best in the history of gastronomy. We want to tell future generations that they can and should cook top-quality cuisine from what our region provides.
What or who has guided you in terms of your approach to cooking?
I draw on my own experiences and family memories. I was born in the Soca Valley, but my parents come from different parts of Slovenia - my mum grew up on the coast, my dad in the Mediterranean. From my childhood, I remember my mum going to the fish shop and regularly buying anchovies, sardines and ingredients for brodetto (traditional fish soup). I also remember the fresh cheese made in the shepherds' huts in the mountains where we stayed when my dad went hunting. We usually spent our summers in Istria, in a house in the middle of the fields, yet close to the sea. In the mornings we would pick up milk from the farmer and pick wild figs for breakfast, and in the evenings we would grill fish on the beach that the fishermen sold directly from the boat from the fishermen, or we would catch our own mussels and clams. These moments prefigured my cooking today and taught me not to compromise on freshness and quality of ingredients.
Which ingredients do you consider to be the symbols of Slovenia?
It's hard to name them all, but I must mention venison. I think Slovenia is the country with the highest concentration of wild game in Europe. Sometimes I feel like Hiša Franko is standing in a zoo. Yet, as Slovenians, we eat less venison than we could, even though it is delicious and, moreover, healthy meat. In our home we ate it at least twice a week! For me personally, wilderness also symbolises the symbiosis of man with the surrounding landscape, a coexistence that is extremely important. More important than the constantly changing opinions that we should be vegetarians, then vegans and finally carnivores again.
A few years ago, you told me aboutthat you were going head to head. How do you see your position today?
I still feel the same way, but in the meantime, the Michelin guide has arrived in Slovenia and has rather quickly awarded us three stars. It confirmed to me that we are on the right track. But we still face some challenges. We have chosen a concept that is hugely dependent on nature, and nature is not a supermarket.. It denies us the ability to cook from whatever we want and forces us to adapt to it and be more creative. That's also why we have our own R&D, research and development team.
Has Slovenian gastronomy been recognised by the public?
I wouldn't say so. The proof for me is the fact that we only seat 6% of Slovenians in Hiša Franko. There's a love-hate relationship between us and the locals. Some are proud of our work, others condemn it as nonsense. Businesses evolve with their guests, but we seem to have moved a big step forward, and besides, we are based in a remote location. In contrast, many people do not hesitate to pay for air tickets and football tickets and fly to a match between Slovenia and Norway. Part of our society believes that hospitality is an unnecessary luxury, especially when it comes to fine dining. We don't discuss medicine because we are not "studious", whereas everyone can cook, can't they? It's up to us as an industry to show that gastronomy may not sell a work of art that customers hang on their walls, but it does create an interplay of taste, beauty and culture that also has value.
Over the years, you have opened a bakery and a JAZ in Ljubljana, and at the end of the year you will be opening a restaurant in Croatia. Did you want to get closer to the people with that?
Many times I thought it would be easier to run Hiša Franko at a different address, but one must not give in to doubts. You have to stand by your decision and count on the fact that fast horses are always following fast horses. JAZ is a young concept, we call it a parallel planet or a living room, and we invite you to it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We serve a daily opportunity to share and enjoy a "normal" complex meal. We open in Poreč because locality is not determined by political borders and Istria in particular is not at all foreign to us.
What are the question marks facing contemporary Slovenian gastronomy?
We don't talk about it much, but we lack roots and without a solid foundation there is nothing to build on. Given its size, Slovenia has an incredible number of Michelin starsand they're not just concentrated in the capital. That's amazing! Yet despite everything, we don't have enough places that serve the kind of food we've tasted in Prague at Lokal. We are missing restaurants with honestly prepared traditional cuisine.
What is the reason?
Slovenia has experienced a milder version of socialism than the Czech Republic. The borders remained open, and we were allowed to go to Italy on a pass to shop and travel. Even so, the past regime had its mark on the culture - and food is culture. We lost the culture of dining and it takes many years to get back to it. This is related to the widespread view of Slovenians, who see food as energy for the body, not for the soul. In short, we need more pubs that preserve the authentic tradition we continue today and tell the story of who we are. There is one about two kilometres from Hiša Franko, and it's packed Monday to Sunday. We need more places like this than we need Michelin stars.
At the end of September, you cooked dinner in Prague with with the New Czech association, putting you in the role of ambassador for Czech cuisine. What would you wish her in the future?
Your cuisine is renowned and has roots that you can water and refine. You have been given a valuable heritage, so play with us! Chefs should think about how to use local ingredients, but it's great when they also think about how to interpret their home, the Czech Republic, and its culinary face. I would only add that talent is necessary for success, but without intrinsic motivation, ambition and perseverance it cannot be achieved. Perseverance and consistency - these are the keys we all seek, but only some take them into their own hands.
