With the admittance of the Mahorčič and Pavus Restaurant into Jeunes Restaurateurs d’Europe (JRE) in May, the number of Slovenian members of this organisation considered a waiting room for so much desired Michelin star increased to 13.

JRE, the origin of which goes back to France of the 70s, prefers not to connect itself directly with Michelin, as the road they choose is completely different. It is an association of more than 350 young chefs and restaurant owners from 12 European countries (in 2008 Australia joined the association), their connecting point being "talent and passion about their profession", wrote JRE.

In order to become a member of JRE you must not be older than 35 years (you can remain an active member until you reach 45, after that you can remain »only« as an honorary member). The restaurants included are characterised by high quality, innovation, combination of traditional and modern, and, regrettably, the price. JRE restaurants are certainly not among the cheapest, which is understandable, as cheap food and quality simply exclude each other – the fact which would be confirmed by any top chef.

In our country JRE culinary guide, due to the absence of Michelin's, is respected as a reference, and the 13 members are above any reproach, but the truth remains that some of the best in Slovenia can't be found in this guide, due to the age limitation.

Slovenia joined the JRE association in 2007, mostly thanks to Tomaž Kavčič, the chef of the Restaurant at Lojze (Zemono), who was for the first five years also the president of the JRE Slovenian branch. Last year Jure Tomič from Debeluh from Brežice replaced him, and now he is the head of the annual conference at which the members give their proposals for new entries into JRE. Last year five new potential members were proposed, and only two accepted.

It started with four ...
The Slovenian JRE, consisted of the previously mentioned Lojze, Franko House, Restaurant at Danilo and Restaurant Apolonija, which is not part of the group any more. During the five years the original four members were joined by Restaurant Rajh (Bakovci), Restaurant Rakar (Trebnje), the Kenda Manor (Spodnja Idrija), Restaurant Debeluh (Brežice), Brioni (Kranj), Pikol (Nova Gorica), Rizibizi (Portorož) in Restaurant Dam (Nova Gorica), and the last additions are Restaurant Pavus (Laško) and Restaurant Mahorčič (Rodik).

Kavčič said for MMC that, in his opinion, a number of Slovenian restaurants were on the correct path for joining JRE, but that they needed time to prove themselves and to win recognition. He does not consider them competitors, but colleagues and friends. And that is one of the unwritten rules of JRE: the young chefs are supposed to help each other, complement each other, and not to compete with each other.

Addition from Styria
One of those who lately proved himself, and won recognition as perhaps the best chef of Styria (besides Vračko and Borut Jovan), is Marko Pavčnik from Pavus. Pavčnik (who is, together with his wife Katja, managing the restaurant at Laško Castle) certainly does not lack creativity, as he replaces most of his dishes every three months. "In three months of cooking the same dishes every day I start getting bored. There are so many new ideas! I find it easy to be creative; I've got creativity inside me, that's my way of working. Perhaps I will change as the years go by, who knows? The time shows which dishes earn eternity," he said for MMC.

Pavčnik says he feels close to the so-called »three chefs« (Bine Volčič, Uroš Štefelin and Igor Jagodic) and his young Styrian colleague Borut Jovan (Livada Prestige in Moravske Toplice), does not consider JRE as laurels, but more as an acknowledgement of the correct approach. You must not rest on your laurels and be lulled by the praise, it is to be considered only an additional reference, "a logotype immediately recognized by some foreigners, and helping them to place you correctly ".

"Each entry into the guide leaves less room for mistakes "
"Young, talented, a passionate cook, an owner of your own restaurant. You create your own pressure, you are driven by your own wishes to achieve more, regardless of the plaque at the door. Each entry into the culinary guide, each critique on web, each plaque at the door raises the guests' expectations, and leave less room for mistakes," believes 33 year old Pavčnik, who in the last year directed his efforts outside of the kitchen as well.

He is writing a column for the newspaper Dnevnik, with quite a wide response, and without mincing matters exposes the not so glossy backstage of the superior cuisine. He also joined, as a commentator, the reality show Restaurant's looking for a boss in its second season.

Most members of the elite club we asked agree that JRE attracts foreign guests, and the attention of the international public. But often that is not enough. The annual membership costs 1,500 Euros, which is for some members more than the membership itself actually brings, while to the average Slovenian eater who happens to visits a town with a JRE restaurant the sign JRE does not mean much.

The Slovenian JRE branch has some more work to do in order to promote JRE beyond the small group of culinary connoisseurs.