STA, 25 February 2022 - The renowned French restaurant guide Gault&Millau announced the highest-rated restaurants and recipients of special Slovenia 2022 awards at an online event on Friday. Marko Pavčnik of the Pavus Restaurant in Laško Tabor Castle is the chef of the year, while as many as eight restaurants received the highest rating of four toques.
The four toques rating that confirms an exceptional quality and excellence of the restaurant has been retained by Pri Lojzetu in Vipava, Hiša Denk in Zgornja Kungota, Ošterija Debeluh in Brežice, Mak in Maribor, Strelec in Ljubljana and Hiša Franko in Kobarid. The latter won the highest number of points - 18 out of 20.
This year, the line-up of the top-rated restaurants by Gault&Millau was expanded by two establishments - Grič in Šentjošt nad Horjulom and Pavus, which also boasts the chef of the year, Marko Pavčnik, the "promoter of wild food", said Gault&Millau Slovenia director Mira Šemić.
The "chef of the future" is Filip Matjaž of COB Restaurant in Portorož, an "ambassador of Istria" who has earned the accolade for his outside the box approach, while Uroš Gorjanc of Krištof Restaurant from Predoslje has been declared the "chef of tradition" for linking up with local farmers and growers of organic food.
Two chefs exceptionally won the "young talent" award this year - Marko Magajne and Marko Vršič of Galerija Okusov in Petrovče near Celje, while the "Best POP" award for popular destinations went to Dvorni Bar in Ljubljana and Hiša Polonka in Kobarid.
Gregor Kren of Hiša Fink in Novo Mesto is the best sommelier and waiter for 2022, while the title of the best confectionery went to Zebra Patisseries in the Ljubljana borough of Koseze.
"The recipients of the special awards and all those who have made it to the guide represent the rich and diverse flavours of Slovenia both on the plate and in the glass," Šemić was quoted as saying at the award ceremony.
Ilona Stermecki, the director of the Slovenian Tourist Board (STO), said on the occasion that gastronomy was an essential and complementary part of any tourism offering that greatly contributed to higher added value in Slovenian tourism.
"It is precisely gastronomy that provides many opportunities and challenges for creating new, sustainable, often innovative products." she added.
The entire line-up of the top-rated restaurants by Gault&Millau will be known in the second half of March, when this year's guide will be published with the partner support of the STO.
