Tomaž

Kavčič is the fourth generation of hospitality workers, and his dishes derive from his childhood memories, the legacy of his mother and grandmother, the respect for the tradition of the Vipava Valley. His grandfather taught him about good raw ingredients, and Kavčič still buys them himself. He prepares them with great care and a sense of creativity, resulting in an aesthetic piece of art reminiscent of the works of great Cubists. Although, beef soup, jota, potica or strudel are disassembled and then put together in a completely different form, and wine may be crunchy, the flavour, which comes first, remains original.

“I’m happiest when a person steps into our house as a guest and leaves as a friend. In addition to high-quality ingredients, I place a high value on human relations. Slovenians differ from others mainly by their genuineness, warm-heartedness, enthusiasm, accessibility,” says Kavčič, who many consider a superstar. He has cooked for royals, world politicians and business people, entertainers, sportspeople, etc. Guests from near and far arriving by helicopters, airplane and yacht visit his Renaissance manor. He’s one of the founders of culinary tourism in Slovenia. Kavčič doesn’t differentiate between his guests; the satisfaction of everyone is important to him, children’s too. “I’m proud when children ask their parents to bring them to our restaurant for lunch.”

Kavčič has deep respect for ingredients. The Slovenian slow food movement, which strives to protect local culture and tradition, was founded in his restaurant in 1994. For this purpose, Kavčič, among other things, invented the salt grill technique to preserve basic flavours with the help of nature. The JRE awarded him for innovation in 2017, and he is also proud to be ranked 99th on the Best Chef Awards list of the top three hundred chefs in the world in 2018.

“I don’t like restaurants where one’s afraid of doing something wrong. A guest visits us to spend their money and time, so they have to feel comfortable. It’s up to us to provide them an experience and relaxation,” thinks Kavčič, who is always in good spirits. “Hospitality is a way of life. It takes a lot from you, but it also gives a lot. You get to see interesting places and meet different people. I enjoy it because it fulfils me. My wife, daughter and mother Katja, who is still in the restaurant, support me.”

Kavčič was born into this business since his great grandmother and great grandfather opened an inn for cart drivers way back in 1897. His grandmother finished a cooking school with the nuns in Trieste and further educated herself in a nearby hotel. She always highlighted the importance of hospitality and care for the guest and the knowledge of the basics. “Without rules, the basics, there is no cuisine. If one doesn’t know how to make a good beef soup, then other dishes won’t be good either was her rule,” says Kavčič who impressed the Chef of the Century, Joël Robuchon, with his deconstructed beef soup. Due to his vigour and immense creativity, Kavčič is frequently invited to various presentations, workshops and congresses, such as Identità Golose, where he cooks together with the likes of Ferran Adrià, Heston Blumenthal, Quique Dacosta, René Redzepi, and Massimo Bottura.

“When I create dishes, I return to my childhood; there always remains a child in us and it’s not good to chase that away,” of that Kavčič, who once competed in motocross, is certain. But it was somewhat natural that he would become a cook instead of a professional athlete. “I was never pressured at home. But as a child, I was constantly there in the inn, helping, absorbing knowledge. There was a period when I regretted not having trained under an important chef. I’m happy now that I didn’t because I was able to develop my own style,” says Kavčič, who is always looking for new ideas to develop into something outstanding. “There must always be ideas. If I’m not bored, guests won’t get bored either.”