Marko

His passion for cooking was sparked by his mother and grandmother. He gained experience with the excellent chef Igor Jagodic at Vila Bled, as well as at the Strelec Restaurant at Ljubljana Castle. These experiences shaped and moulded him. For the last decade, he has been working at Galerija okusov.

He takes a modern approach to food, with a focus on local ingredients, but takes it one step further in his interpretation of contemporary cuisine. He likes to make use of wild plants, which he often picks himself. From those more well-known to daisies, cherry blossoms, dandelions and ferns.

Marko Magajne is a man with a calm nature. He enjoys carefully selecting produce from local farms, and is committed to a zero waste philosophy. He loves discovering new ingredients and fusing unusual flavours into a bold culinary experience.

According to food critics, Marko is an innovative young talent who stands out with his fresh approach to cooking and makes the eating experience unforgettable: “Imaginative amuse bouche herald a firework display of sophisticated but also daring combinations, bringing together traditional Slovenian cuisine with modern chef’s techniques,” states the 2021 Gault & Millau restaurant guide.

The former Slovenian national team chef is committed to experimentation, whether it be a meat, fish or vegetarian dish. His plates can present anything from slices of confit port and pickled mustard seeds with honey to parsley waffle and parsley foam soup. Or fried catfish fillet in acorn tapenade with beer and roasted hop tops. Or roasted celeriac in its own juice with walnuts, gin and tonic jelly, celery stalk juice and walnut oil. It doesn’t stop there, as he is also a dab hand at desserts. He has been known to serve white chocolate with horseradish, honeycomb, black apple purée, thyme and pollen.

He charms guests with his heart-felt and fresh approach and takes them on a pleasant, modern culinary journey.