NETJETS US VOLUME 9 2019

gourmet spotlight
cookbooks I could in the library” and started
creating a kind of new-wave Slovenian
cuisine, starring beautifully plated dishes that
showcased fiercely local ingredients.
Not everything went to plan: Her sudden
career change had gone down badly with
her parents: “They were dark times. My
relationship with them was very difficult—
and I made mistakes, unfortunately for
the guests!” But her perseverance paid
off, and the diplomatic service’s loss was
gastronomy’s gain.
Her cookery attracted the interest of
Italian food writers; Roš credits Anna Morelli
in particular: “She came through the door
when nobody knew us and told everyone. I’ll
always be grateful.” Invitations to top-drawer
culinary events started to land on Hiša
Franko’s doormat, and her rise to the top was
confirmed when the producers of Netflix’s
Chef ’s Table came calling: A 2016 episode
starred Roš, her restaurant and—not least—
the stunning scenery in which she lives and
works. Overnight, the hits on Hiša Franko’s
website went from 200 a day to 10,000, and
the business’s financial stability was assured.
Roš gives much of the credit for her
success to this unique landscape. Now in her
mid-40s, she keeps in shape with a daily run.
“When I’m on top of the mountain I can see
the lagoons, rivers, meadows, forests, gardens
and, villages: Every plate I create has at least
one element from this environment.
“I know farm-to-table is very trendy now,
but sometimes it’s just rubbish, like the
Russian place I went to that had a sea urchin
from the Faroe Islands on the menu.”
Roš’s sense of place is very precise. “We
are mountain people. Winters are harsh, so
you need to preserve food to survive them:
Salting, curing, pickling, fermenting. We
have a little house in Istria—south of here,
near the Adriatic—and it’s still 20˚C even in
February, so you can garden all year round
and there’s no need to preserve food: The
locals would think you were stupid!
“Of course, nowadays we realize how
healthy and flavorsome fermented foods
are, but originally it was simply a means
of survival. Slovenia is a completely rural
country, and everyone has a garden to grow
their own food, even in Ljubljana. We have
four gardens at Hiša Franko: They weren’t
my idea, they were already here.”
Her style of cooking sprang from necessity,
too. “There weren’t really any suppliers
when we started—it’s so remote here—so
I had to forge relationships with farmers
and producers.” She is especially proud of
”We are mountain people. Winters
are harsh, so you need to preserve food:
salting, curing, pickling, fermenting”
62 NetJets