March 7, 2018
The international profile of Slovenian food and wine is continuing to rise, as following on from last year’s crowning of Ana Roš as the World’s Best Female Chef – a story that currently returns almost 7,000 Google results – and news that the Gault & Millau series of restaurant guides will start researching a Slovene edition in October, comes the country’s first steps in being named one of the three European Regions of Gastronomy for 2021.
The titles are handed out by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT), a non-profit organisation that works to promote links among the fields of gastronomy, culture, and the arts, so that their potential as sustainable tourism assets can be realised to the benefit of local communities and producers, an aim that fits in well with the Slovenian Tourist Board’s current focus on cultural tourism
A report published on the IGCAT’s website noted the efforts of Darja Škufca Adlešič, from the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, who is serving as coordinator of Slovenia’s bid, and Barbara Zmrzliker, Head of Research of the Slovenian Tourist Board, in working to secure the award. Professor Janez Bogataj, one of the country’s leading food writers, is responsible for preparing the text of Slovenia’s bid, which will be submitted by 30 May 2018. News of whether Slovenia's bid has been succesful will be released on October 8 this year, during the European Week of Regions and Cities, in Brussels.
At present ten regions have received the title of European Region of Gastronomy: Catalonia and Minho (Portugal) for 2016, Aarhus/Central Denmark, East Lombardy (Italy) and Riga-Gauja (Latvia) for 2017, Galway-West of Ireland and North Brabant (the Netherlands) for 2018, Sibiu (Romania) and the South Aegean for 2019; and Kuopio (Finland) for 2020.
Visitors to Slovenia in late March who’d like to sample some of the country’s culinary delights are directed towards Restaurant Week, from the 16th to 25th, where they can enjoy some of the best tables in the country for just 18 EUR a person, with more details here.
