Matjaž

He is drawn by the region’s distinct environment, the openness of people in the countryside and, most of all, fish. Not just fish grown at farms, but also those he catches himself in the Sava River. When he goes fishing, he also likes to pick the tips of hops and other wild ingredients.

Even as a child, he liked spending time in the kitchen with his mother and grandmother. After finishing primary school, he knew that he was going to be a chef, so he chose his further education accordingly. During his studies, he cooked as an apprentice at Strelec in Ljubljana, then at Krištof and at Villa Podvin in Gorenjska, before joining the team of the Austria Trend Hotel in Ljubljana as sous-chef. The then head of the kitchen, Damjan Wallner, asked Matjaž to join him in new challenges: first in optimising kitchens around Slovenia, then at the new A3 Restaurant within the Rajhenburg Castle in Brestanica.

Matjaž Hribar is growing increasingly skilled as a forager and more and more communicative in the kitchen. When he puts on his cooking gear, he is no longer the shy boy he used to be, but a chef who greets every guest with respect and a friendly word.

“Being in contact with my guests allows me to grow as a person and as a chef,” says Matjaž. He also likes to mentor the younger members of his kitchen team. Hribar thinks it is even more apparent in a professional setting that different people need different approaches to create the right energy in the team, the kitchen or at the table.

Since its opening, one of the guests’ favourites has been the cold smoked trout with fresh sauces. “Creating a good fish plate is an art form,” says the man who is involved in harvesting the trout in the morning, filleting it and fine-tuning it for the three-day smoking process. According to him, fish is a gentle ingredient that quickly reveals mistakes, not only in its preparation but also its farming. And that is why he never regrets his time spent by the fish farm pools.

In addition to fish creations, he likes making starters. To the satisfaction of foodies who love trying new things, he tests new techniques that produce interesting visual experiences and arouse the curiosity of his guests, who wonder how the creation on the plate before them was even undertaken. Maybe by sharpening the frozen parsley purée with a diamond knife? In addition to his fundamental cooking philosophy, playfulness, curiosity and additional training are part of Matjaž’s personal growth. One day, he wants to win the coveted stars that will further secure his place on the world map of gastronomy with his approach to creating and preparing dishes.