DAVID ŽEFRAN


PRIMOŽ ČERNIGOJ FCSI ON Žefran’s rise “The quality of Slovenian cuisine has really improved and David Žefran is truly part of a new generation in the kitchen. His blend and fusion of Alpine cuisine has become one of the stars of our country’s gastronomy. Slovenia needs chefs who stand out.”


“We are all incredibly grateful to Ana, but I feel the sector is very fragmented and we need to work together for our country and the image abroad,” he says.


INTO DEEP WATER


Te start-up journey has been similar to the steep climb to the Vrisic Pass, visible high above the covered terrace of the restaurant and a favorite of the chef ’s. Today, two years in, Žefran still wears many hats – heading up the kitchen, dealing with recruitment and HR, mentoring his team of young chefs. For somebody who is only six years into a cooking career and not yet 35 years old, it has been overwhelming. “I was pushed into a


situation that I never been in before, so I had to be a leader. And for me, it doesn’t come that naturally,” he says. So, he decided to try


psychotherapy. “To make myself a better person and learn how to react to certain things better,” he explains. He has also joined


20


a management and leadership school to ccontinue learning. “It is not easy to find the


time for it, but I know that I need to do it. It’s important that we build this restaurant to be something different,” he says. His mentoring role takes him out to speak to students about the hospitality sector. “I think we are heading into a deep crisis in recruitment in hospitality. I recently attended as a speaker at a graduation award for a hospitality school and the director told me that they only had 11 people enrolled into the course next year.” Why do young people today not want to join the profession? “We have exploited them,” he says bluntly. “We allowed it to happen because we also


“This has always been hard work but we can do it differently, be a little bit kinder”


let ourselves be exploited.” Young people want


balance in life and they want kindness, he says. To that end he is committed to a different approach, determined to see staff thrive. “It’s always been hard work, but we can do it a little bit differently, be a little bit kinder and more supportive,” he says. Every Friday he holds


sessions where staff members give a talk on a certain topic, to improve their public speaking.“It is also a way to get to know each other better; what they want is a nice life and being able to smile when they’re at work.” Perhaps Žefran would have


made a great sociologist, but he has found his calling in the kitchen. Te Michelin Guide awarded Milka a star soon after opening in June 2022 and the second came hot on the heels. As somebody who admits to suffering from imposter syndrome, how much pressure does that kind of success come with? “Mostly it’s when people ask me, ‘when is the third star


coming?’,” he says, adding that while reaching for the next step comes naturally to him, it is not the raison d’être of Milka. “We enjoy the small


victories, but it is never about the stars; personal satisfaction for me is seeing the staff happy and producing good food,” he says. “When you chase these awards, you lose yourself in the chase.” Te meal at Milka ends in


in the kitchen where Žefran greets diners for their last bite – a spin on the classic madeleine and a range of homemade liqueurs that guests can try in a moment of interaction with kitchen staff and other guests. No doubt it can become


chaotic but it seems completely in the young chef ’s spirit, painting the tapestry of people and produce and experiences all together in his kitchen. Whatever comes next, it seems certain he will enjoy it.


The small team of Milka Restaurant work with local seasonal produce in a modern setting


FOR MORE GO TO FCSI.ORG


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