The Slovenia MICHELIN Guide 2021: a brand new star in the culinary universe of (now 7) Michelin starred restaurants

New stars and new success for Slovenian gastronomy. Today, the prestigious restaurant guide revealed the 2021 selection of restaurants that are featured in the latest edition. ​Michelin inspectors confirmed two stars for Hiša Franko. One star has also been confirmed for all restaurants included in the last year's edition:  Atelje,  Dam Restaurant, Gostilna pri Lojzetu, Hiša Denk and Vila Podvin. The restaurant Gostišče Grič joins the family of MICHELIN Star restaurants in 2021. The Bib Gourmand category includes seven restaurants, and 39 restaurants were awarded the Michelin Plate. Slovenian gastronomy was also recognised in the sustainability category: as many as six restaurants received the Michelin Green Star. The second edition of the MICHELIN GUIDE SLOVENIA thus features a total of 53 restaurants.

High ratings by the renowned guide for the exceptional quality provided by Slovenian gastronomy are a great commendation and recognition for all its stakeholders in their efforts to maintain excellence in times of great challenges. As the strongest brand globally in the field of gastronomy, the 2021 Michelin Guide will be a significant element in the promotion of Slovenian tourism implemented by the Slovenian Tourist Board in cooperation with various stakeholders.

Embellished with the renowned stars, the Slovenia Green Cuisine label and the title of the European Region of Gastronomy 2021, Slovenia will further enhance its visibility as a green, active and safe destination of exceptionally diverse experiences, which are connected specifically with gastronomy serving as one of the frequent motivations of domestic and foreign guests. 

What is in the second edition of the Michelin Guide for Slovenia 

The MICHELIN GUIDE SLOVENIA 2021 incorporates 53 restaurants within different categories. 

MICHELIN STARS mark the best restaurants selected by Michelin inspectors and denote the highest quality in gastronomy. The emphasis of assessments is not on restaurants' interior design and table settings but food and consistency of its quality. The inspectors give their reviews based on five criteria: quality of the ingredients used, mastery of flavour and cooking techniques, the chef's personality in their cuisine, value for money and consistency between visits. 

Two Michelin stars for exceptional culinary art went to Hiša Franko of chef Ana Roš. The restaurant also received two stars last year. 

Six restaurants received one Michelin star for culinary art of high quality (one more than last year): 

Atelje, chef Jorg Zupan
Gostilna pri Lojzetu, chef Tomaž Kavčič
Hiša Denk, chef Gregor Vračko
Dam Restaurant, chef Uroš Fakuč
Vila Podvin, chef Uroš Štefelin 

New star went to: 
Gostišče Grič, chef Luka Košir

Bib Gourmand denotes restaurants that guarantee genuine culinary experiences with high-quality food and an excellent quality-to-price ratio. These are frequently special gems that the inspectors discover annually on their travels.

The honorary Michelin Bib Gourmand was received by seven Slovenian Restaurants: Gostilnica Ruj, Jožef, Gostilna na Gradu, Gostilna Rajh, Mahorčič, Gostilna Repovž and TaBar, new in 2021.   

The category of the Plate Michelin (L’Assiette) denotes restaurants in which a good meal is carefully prepared from fresh ingredients and which represent a great potential for the destination.

The Michelin Plate highlighted 39 Slovenian Restaurants: Julijana, Ošterija Debeluh, Gostilna Vovko, Gostilna Francl, Dvor Jezeršek, Gredič, Hiša Torkla, Marina, Gostilna za Gradom, Gostilna Krištof, Pavus, As, B-Restaurant, Cubo, Harfa, JB, Maxim, Monstera bistro, Separé, Shambala, Strelec, Sushimama, Valvas'or, Vander, Mak, Sedem, Calypso, Pikol, Otočec Castle, Galerija okusov, Stara Gostilna, Rizibizi, Sophia, Hiša Krasna, Danilo, Kendov dvorec; and two new: Vila Planinka and Landerik. 

Michelin Green Star is awarded to restaurants for their sustainable practices. Last year, Slovenian restaurants were among the first winners of the award for sustainability, which considers their culinary excellence in connection with the outstanding environmentally friendly practices. These include cooperation with producers and suppliers working according to the sustainability principle, including the reduction of waste and use of plastics and other non-recyclable materials.

Michelin awarded six green stars:

Luka Košir, Gostišče Grič
Ana Roš, Hiša Franko
Davide Crisci, Gostilna za Gradom
Uroš Gorjanc, Gostilna Krištof
Ksenija Krajšek Mahorčič, Gostilna Mahorčič

Uroš Štefelin, Vila Podvin

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of Michelin Guides:

"Both 2020 and 2021 have been difficult years for the restaurant business. Having to cope with the repeated opening and closing of their restaurants, Slovenian chefs have nevertheless proved their resilience, fighting spirit and unvarying talent, which greatly impressed us. So the selection of restaurants we're presenting today reflects the local culinary scene, which is particularly committed to sustainable gastronomy, and which is continuing to develop. We do hope with all our hearts that this new selection will help attract gourmets back to the restaurants, and to discover or rediscover Slovenia through its best restaurant tables."

Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Economic Development and Technology: 
"People have been eating well and enjoying top-level culinary art and wine in Slovenia for a long time. Here, top culinary masterpieces are being created from locally grown ingredients with a high degree of creativity and boldness. This is being increasingly recognised abroad, in particular, due to world-renowned gastronomy guides such as the Michelin Guide. It is right that the world gets to know our values, flavours and gastronomic masterpieces, which helped Slovenia become the European Region of Gastronomy 2021. This year, Michelin's inspectors had the opportunity once again to convince themselves that Slovenia has chefs who belong to the very top of the world, and I believe that they had a demanding job. My sincere congratulations to all recipients of the Michelin stars and other high-level recognitions. I wish them a lot of creative energy and well-functioning teams of co-workers in the future as well."

Maja Pak, M.Sc., Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB): 
"I am proud that the stars from Slovenia shine again on the global map of gastronomy this year and witness the commitment of our chefs to high quality, sustainability, uniqueness, creativity and innovation. The hospitality industry is facing a demanding period, which is why this year's stars, which maintain optimism and create new stories with persistence, are even more important. Regardless of the category, an individual restaurant has been put in, all of them are winners today. We are proud that the family of Michelin Starred restaurants has received a new member. In total, the 2021 Michelin Guide has 53 restaurants. six of them with one star and one with two stars.  The Bib Gourmand category included 7 restaurants, and 39 restaurants were awarded the Michelin Plate. Slovenia has also an outstanding six green stars, which is an additional recognition and incentive for our commitment to the sustainable development of gastronomy and motivation for the future years. This year the STB  included gastronomy in the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism, the national programme for the development of sustainable tourism. It is impressive that as many as 30 providers have been awarded the Slovenia Green Cuisine label in such a short time. Last year's arrival of the Michelin Guide in Slovenia attracted a lot of attention both from the Slovenian and foreign public. It generated millions of views in the media and social networks. Slovenia was featured on the covers of the global media and at the top of lists of must-visit countries, while the number of bookings in award-winning restaurants and media attention increased. I believe that also the second edition of the Michelin Guide for Slovenia will make headlines and encourage new arrivals by gastronomic tourists. The STB will continue to address them with inspiring stories created by exceptional masters of Slovenian gastronomy. My sincere congratulations to all who have made it to the most influential gastronomy guide in the world for the exceptional work and I wish them a lot of excellence and creativity."

Blaž Cvar, President of the Tourism and Catering Section at the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia (OZS):
"Gastronomy is becoming an increasingly important part of Slovenian tourism. There have been some major shifts in the development of culinary art and hospitality lately. The indispensable collaboration and cooperation have already produced results in practice, which is why we are convinced that this is the right way for our work in the future. Hospitality providers represent Slovenia with their original, genuine and traditional culinary art and this is what our guests want the most. The largest changes can certainly be felt in hospitality providers who have recognised the advantages of the natural resources of our country. The culinary offer has not become only more diverse, as the quality leap has put locally produced ingredients on menus, preserved traditional and original dishes and, finally, brought the awareness that we need to preserve the culinary identity. Of course, we became interested in the global culinary public also because of the diverse offering, which is where we aim at the highest level together with our chefs. Today's Michelin award winners are a driving force of the development of Slovenian culinary art and, accordingly, the quality grows exponentially every year. The impact of the "Red Bible" is certainly not limited only to the award winners. The entire hospitality and tourism industry gets an opportunity to be promoted. My sincere congratulations to all Michelin award winners on behalf of the Tourism and Catering Section at the OZS."

Announcement of the Michelin Guide Slovenia 2021 

Michelin announced the assessment results of Slovenian restaurants this morning in a press release sent to numerous global addresses. The STB did not have access to the list of restaurants included in the Michelin Guide for 2021 beforehand, as in accordance with its business policy, Michelin does not reveal it until the official announcement. On this occasion, the STB will host an event to mark the announcement of the Michelin Guide Slovenia 2021, intended for chefs and media representatives. At the event, it will present the chefs with plaques for 2021 and chef jackets and enabled them to meet media representatives.

The printed edition of the red gastronomy guide for Slovenia – the MICHELIN GUIDE SLOVENIA 2021 – will be available a few days after the official announcement of the assessment results by Michelin inspectors. More about the restaurants that made it to the guide is available on the official Michelin website https://guide.michelin.com/si/en and at www.tasteslovenia.si and www.slovenia.info. 

Michelin as the most influential brand in gastronomy 

Michelin is the most respected and prestigious brand in gastronomy guides that has an exceptional global reach and influence on the gastronomic development of a destination. 

Michelin only enters destinations with proven culinary potential, while pursuing its development policy and expert evaluation. Today it is present in 35 destinations; it has 4,2 million followers on social networks, which is a strong communication channel for addressing committed gastronomic tourists. It puts a high added value offering in the forefront and addresses the most avid gastronomic tourists, while at the same time highlights unforgettable experiences affordable to a wider circle of gastronomy enthusiasts. 

Last year's arrival of the guide in the Slovenian market attracted a lot of attention both from the Slovenian and foreign public. All activities by Michelin and the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) after the results by Michelin inspectors were announced on 16 June 2020 had a reach measured in millions, while the articles in the foreign online media exceeded 290 million readers in only a few days. On its official Instagram profile, Michelin reached more than 1.1 million followers with 26 published stories. The post with the information about the arrival of Michelin Guide to Slovenia and the recipients of Michelin stars got 6,100 likes and reached 235,000 followers. The total reach of Michelin's activities on its Instagram profile has been estimated at more than one million and a half. 

The activities of the STB on its social media profiles were also very successful. A total of 69 stories published on the Facebook and Instagram profiles Feel Slovenia recorded a total of 547,000 displays. By means of the Meltwater tool, the STB tracked a total of 274 online articles about the arrival of the Michelin Guide in Slovenia in foreign online media such as Reuters, Ansa, La Stampa, Food & Wine and the Daily Mail between 16 and 19 June 2020. The overall reach of the articles was as many as 290 million readers. 

The arrival of the Michelin Guide in Slovenia and its orientation towards sustainable gastronomy resulted in many articles in the globally esteemed media; this, for example, inspired Condé Nast Traveler to declare Slovenia the top travel destination of 2021. 

Gastronomy, one of the key products of Slovenian tourism             

Gastronomy is one of the key products of Slovenian tourism that significantly contributes to the attainment of the objectives of the Strategy of Sustainable Growth of Slovenian Tourism 2017–2021, higher added value and addressing of guests who look for unique experiences. Sustainable gastronomy carries special importance since it is an important part of the focus in the comprehensive sustainable development of Slovenian tourism. Even when gastronomy is not the main reason for visiting a destination, it plays an important role as secondary or partial motivation. In order to attract committed gastronomic tourists who are also interested in other products of Slovenian tourism, it is particularly important to create special, unique experiences and emphasise the things that make Slovenia and its gastronomic offering different from the competing countries. A good example is the recently launched Slovenia Green Gourmet Route, which merges sustainable cycling with gourmet stops. In the collection of special boutique experiences called  Slovenia Unique Experiences, gastronomy is what gives the other included products that truly authentic touch, while some experiences are entirely gourmet (An Unforgettable Day at the Fonda Fish Farm, Vintage Gourmet Tour, Velenje Underground – a gastronomic adventure 160 metres below the surface, Following the Most Beautiful Wine Stories to the World's Oldest Vine). 

The STB promotes Slovenia as a destination for unique gastronomic experiences on all communication channels: as part of digital promotion activities, it uses the national tourism portal, social networks, a special gastronomic newsletter as well as digital campaigns in foreign markets. The promotional strategy also includes many study tours for foreign journalists and influencers, posts in specialised media and presentations of gastronomy at events in Slovenia and abroad. The STO supports the organisation and implementation of internationally recognised events, such as the European Food Summit and Restaurant Week, and the Gault&Millau gastronomy guide. In support of the development and promotion of the gastronomy product, a new web portal www.tasteslovenia.si was established in June 2020 to present the comprehensive gastronomic story of Slovenia. The STB has issued the Taste Slovenia publication and the new gastronomic video Slovenian Gastronomy. You can't spell Slovenia without love, which presents a story about Slovenian gastronomy and its traditional orientation through the eyes of Michelin chefs, which has also been very successful. Gastronomy is the umbrella communication theme of the STO in 2020 and 2021, and the STO has also prepared the Action Plan for the Development and Marketing of Gastronomic Tourism 2019–2023. In a bid to facilitate sustainable efforts, as of this year, gastronomy is included in the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism, the national programme for the development of sustainable tourism. In just over six months, the Slovenia Green Cuisine label was awarded to 30 providers, which is a one-of-a-kind contribution to the sustainable development of Slovenian gastronomy and promotion of the entire destination as healthy and sustainability-oriented. The green scheme introduced new criteria for the destinations in the management of the gastronomic offer.

The clear vision of Slovenia as a 5-star green boutique destination and its consistent promotion has placed it at the very top of sustainable destinations. Slovenia has gained special recognition with the 2021 European Region of Gastronomy title, while the excellence of Slovenian gastronomy has been confirmed by the Michelin Guide, which proves to be an excellent promotional tool for attracting the attention of guests in key markets for Slovenian tourism. 

The STB has organized a celebration event for all the chefs. Photographs are available at the dropbox link  (photo credits: Nino Verdnik).

Follow the Michelin Stars in Slovenia at the www.tasteslovenia.si portal.

Further information: Maša Puklavec, Global PR Manager, Slovenian Tourist Board (masa.puklavec@slovenia.info).

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