Dalibor

He began by preparing eggs, then pasta and went all the way to risotto. As he enrolled in secondary school, he hesitated between being a waiter or a cook, but the latter drew him so much that it became his life path. Today, he is the chef at Calypso Restaurant and feels pure love for cooking: “I like creativity, ideas, ingredients and the art of plating.”

Dalibor likes the philosophy of creating good dishes from affordable ingredients. He swears by local vegetables, trout from the Soča River and meat. The local character is particularly evident in his tasting menus that fascinates Calypso’s guests, who take time to enjoy good food. The restaurant is part of Perla, Hit universe of fun, offering prestigious hotel, casino and gastronomic products and services. Due to a lack of time, discerning guests whose visits are centred around gambling frequently choose à la carte seafood, such as lobster and shrimps. In Dalibor’s kitchen, 80 per cent of the food prepared is seafood and fish dishes, followed by meat and vegetarian dishes.

Dalibor’s process of creating dishes, which begins with two ingredients on the spoon, attests to just how important taste is for him. If he feels harmony between them, he adds another ingredient. Horseradish and fennel join a piece of green apple and trout on the spoon. And so on until he discovers what he is looking for. It is important to him that the ingredients are seasonal and fresh, and he attempts to reduce the use of starch-based ingredients: “When you eat a dish without starch, the body and mind feel better, allowing you to work more easily.”

As part of the Glocal Gourmet project, great names of Italian cuisine, such as Emanuelle Scarello (Agli Amici), Francesco Sposito (Taverna Estia) and Pino Cuttaia (Ristorante La Madia), whose restaurants received two Michelin stars each, and Bobo Cerea from the famous Da Vittorio that boasts three Michelin stars, visited Slovenia in the spring of 2019. Together they created a six-course menu from local seasonal produce, learning from each other in the process. The restaurant was sold out in advance, and the guests’ fascination was abundant.

However, Dalibor remains modest and advises young (future) cooks to maintain their will to work and interest in learning. “Copy good cooks. Make contact with them and ask a lot of questions so that you learn as much as you can from them. Then begin on your own. Test, try, create. It doesn’t matter if things sometimes go wrong – that’s how we learn,” says the chef who proudly masters all working processes and the whole repertoire, from cold and hot starters to desserts.

Dalibor’s passion for fresh ingredients and a meticulously prepared good meal was noticed by Michelin, who awarded him the Michelin Plate. This is an important acknowledgement that rejoices Dalibor and his team who work with him in the kitchen every day and the whole Hit hospitality section.