Ivica

Ivek, as Ivica Evačić is known to his friends, tailors his recipes to the season, selecting only the best ingredients from local suppliers and cooking according to the garden-to-table principle without reheating. His dishes are free from flavour enhancers. His slogan “from the sea to the plate” perfectly describes the steadfast and persistent path from which he never deviates. All of the seafood and Istrian delicacies are seasonal, fresh and prepared from scratch. From the very beginning, he has been committed to a sustainable approach by cooking with locally-grown, seasonal and home-made ingredients.

He attended the Izola Upper Secondary School of Hospitality and Tourism and then worked as an apprentice at the Kamin Restaurant in Belvedere. His journey took him to every corner of Slovenian Istria, from the Skipper Restaurant in Koper, Villa Marija in Portorož to Villa Andor in Ankaran. In 2003, he took over the management of the Marina Hotel Restaurant, where he revamped the menu, raising the restaurant to a new level of top class a la carte establishment.

Food being the source of life, his guests are treated to the best cuisine. He treats food with respect and avoids prolonged processing, because food is not only the source of life, but plays a central role in socialising, relaxation and enjoyment as well.

Evačić likes to single out chefs he respects and values. He knows them personally, and is confident that they put their hearts and souls into their cooking. Among them are Uroš Štefelin, Zoran Ristič, Ana Roš, Janez Bratovž, Tomaž Kavičič and other well-respected Slovenian chefs. His mum and her specialities also play an important role in his cooking. He remembers growing up with seasonal dishes made from home-grown ingredients. These include a stew with sauerkraut or turnip and smoked meat (jota), stuffed cabbage leaves (sarme), pasta and bean stew (pašta fižol), mushroom soup, home-style chicken in a vegetable sauce (na šugo) with a side of pasta, baked potatoes with minced lard, sweet cottage cheese rolled dumplings and savoury pumpkin rolled dumplings (štruklji). Ever since he moved to the coast, he has been keen on seafood, especially in combination with vegetables.

He also attributes his success to the local suppliers who provide him with the best ingredients and the excellent team who trusts him and follows his vision. What gives his cuisine its special character, he says, is the extra virgin olive oil he makes himself. It is the basis of his culinary masterpieces.