About the project

Slovenia's candidacy for obtaining the title European Region of Gastronomy 2021

In early March 2018, Slovenia was confirmed as a candidate for obtaining the title European Region of Gastronomy 2021. During the process of obtaining the title, it submitted a candidacy book titled TASTE SLOVENIA edited by Dr Janez Bogataj (prof. dr.) to the official authority which confers the title, the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts, and Tourism (IGCAT). The honorary patron of the candidacy is the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor.

Slovenia’s candidacy to obtain the title European Region of Gastronomy 2021 includes 20 partners whose excellent projects and programmes help create a story on the journey of obtaining this prestigious title. They include:

In the candidacy book, Slovenia is defined as a place where gastronomic diversity and local tastes meet. The book presents the development of Slovenia’s gastronomy, its gastronomic strategy, the protection of food and dishes, local and regional trademarks in cuisine and gastronomy, wine-growing, wine production, and the brewing industry. The Slovenian Food Day, traditional breakfast, sweet pleasures and health with bees, gastronomy and tourism, and culinary and gastronomic events are mentioned specifically.

A part of the book is intended for presenting European cooperation and cooperation with other partners in European Regions of Gastronomyin the field of education, communications, and including locals, for supporting small and medium-sized companies in cuisine and gastronomy, and evaluating the entire project. All projects and programmes carried out by interested partners, who are focused on enhancing current best practices and developing innovativeness, are presented. 

A visit to Slovenia from experts from the international platform ‘European Region of Gastronomy’

From 17 to 20 July 2018, Slovenia was visited by the Executive Committee to verify Slovenia's gastronomic offer in the field and separately meet with the representatives of the 16 stakeholders. The Executive Committee of the ERG, consisting of Dr Diane Dodd, an expert for urban and regional cultural and art strategies and President of the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT), the official award-conferring authority and manager of the platform European Region of Gastronomy, Blanca Cros, an expert in sustainable tourism and a representative of Catalonia, the 2016 European Region of Gastronomy, Alfred van Mameren, an expert in regional development and a representative of Noord Brabant, the 2018 European Region of Gastronomy, and Jacinta Dalton, an expert in food development, a representative of Galway/West of Ireland, the 2018 European Region of Gastronomy, decided on the basis of a written application, a visit to the region, a presentation, and a discussion to recommend Slovenia to the IGCAT Board to be given the title European Region of Gastronomy 2021.

Slovenia awarded the title European Region of Gastronomy 2021 in Brussels

On 8 October, Slovenia was awarded the official title European Region of Gastronomy 2021. The title was awarded to Slovenia at a ceremony within the European Week of Regions and Citiesin Brussels.

Being awarded the title European Region of Gastronomy is of incredible importance for the promotion of national cuisine and gastronomy. At the same time, its effects contribute to sustainable development, it encourages sustainable culinary tourism and local self-sufficiency, it integrates rural and urban areas, it emphasises the significance of nutrition for health, and it provides support to small and medium-sized companies.