Exclusive Interview With Chef Ana Ros: A Champion Of Slovenia And Sustainability

Have all celebrated chefs grown up dreaming of becoming culinary stars? Certainly not all. We may have come across stories of people switching careers and shooting to (gastronomic) fame rather unexpectedly. But the journey of Chef Ana Ros is particularly fascinating. As a child, she was trained in contemporary dance and alpine skiing. She made it to the Yugoslavian youth national team. She decided against pursuing this sporting career and enrolled to study international relations at university. But there was yet another, different path in store for her.

Ana Ros took charge of Hisa Franko, a small family restaurant run by the parents of her partner at the time, Valter Kramar. The decision was a difficult one. But it would change the trajectory of her life forever. Together, the couple worked to keep the establishment afloat. But Ana Ros did much more than ensure its survival. Through years of self-education, determination and experimentation, she breathed new life into Hisa Franko. There was no turning back. In 2017, she was named the best female chef in the world by The World's 50 Best Academy. In 2023, the restaurant was awarded the coveted third Michelin star. The same year, it was ranked 32nd among the World's 50 Best Restaurants.

Chef Ana Ros has grown to become a champion for Slovenian cuisine and sustainability on the world stage. Her creations celebrate the environment, in its scarcity as well as grandeur. Chef Ana is in India to host masterclasses and grand multi-course meals. While the Delhi event took place at The Taj Mahal Hotel on February 17 and 18, 2024, the Mumbai edition is being held at The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel on February 23 and 24. We had an opportunity to speak with her about her journey and hopes for the future. Edited excerpts from the interview are below:

Excerpts From NDTV Food's Interview With Chef Ana Ros:

1. Did you grow up in a foodie family?

It's difficult to define what constituted a "foodie" at that time. But yes, my mother and my grandmother were great cooks and we always had incredibly well-prepared food at home. That was not the time when restaurants were abundant in Slovenia or nearby. We were mostly cooking at home.

I didn't have a lot of time to cook together with my family because I was very busy with school and sports. I would usually come home and the food would be ready. However, around the holidays, we would go to our small stone house on the seaside and we would collect some of our seafood ourselves. We would dive for mussels, clams, etc. Later, we would cook the seafood on the open fire together. That's definitely among the most memorable 'foodie' moments I can recall.

2. How do you stay creative and continue to push boundaries in your cooking?

Creativity is the base for pushing your boundaries. I believe it's about always staying active and never falling asleep. You should always look for better solutions. I think we all have plenty of space to improve our work and enhance our creativity as well as the quality of what we do.

3. At present, which ingredient are you enjoying experimenting with?

I'm a tomato lover. Whenever the harvest season of tomatoes starts, I'm the happiest person on the planet! I use them everywhere, from starters and mains to desserts. Just yesterday - at midnight actually - I thought of a dessert with tomato and watermelon!

4. When it comes to hyperlocal sourcing of ingredients, what's the biggest challenge you face?

It would be the unexpected changes in the environment - whether it is no rain or too much rain, extreme heat or extreme cold. They all influence the circle of life in nature. That affects the restaurant because we have to be super creative about finding substitutes. Changes can happen overnight or even quicker than that. You may be two hours away from service and you might need to alter the dish and its preparation due to these factors.

5. Sustainability and zero-waste cooking are huge buzzwords in the industry today. Your restaurant has been given a Michelin Green star. Is environmental consciousness something you have always felt strongly about?

Hisa Franko is so far away from the front suppliers that we needed to source locally. We cannot just order a rack of lamb or only the back leg from a farmer. We have always had to take the full animal. Thus, we always had the approach of using every part of the animal/ fish/ plant. Living in a mountainous region, people are always stingy regarding that aspect of food. We don't waste food. I think if you're intelligent about it, there's a way of taking food waste and making it shine.

6. You studied international relations and were on the path to becoming a diplomat before you were a chef at Hisa Franko. Now, you have become a culinary ambassador, of sorts, for Slovenia on the world stage. What do you think about this role?

It's a huge responsibility. You are never simply attending in your name or the name of your restaurant. You are there representing an entire nation. My role while travelling is to put Slovenia on the world gastronomic map. Many people associate me with my country. Years ago, when I was cooking in Russia, a poll showed an interesting result. My name, along with that of a music band, were among the most recognisable symbols of Slovenian culture. It's a great thing, but on the other hand, I'm just a chef. I'm just doing what I like doing. We can and we are using it as a platform to make our country shine. She deserves it.

7. In recent years, due to social media, how we consume food has undergone massive changes. Do you think people now have a greater appreciation for what's on their plate?

I think it varies generationally. I think the preferences of younger generations are changing very rapidly. They are very interested in the sources and quality of the products or ingredients they are eating. For instance, my children would never eat something that is over-industrial. However, for certain generations, it is very hard to change what they are used to. If you go to an Italian nonna and try to teach her about present-day diet trends, she would just laugh at you. She is probably 90 and knows what's best for her.

I also think it varies according to region. Ultimately, if we try to understand more about what and how much we have been consuming traditionally, we will be on the right path. That's better than generalising one philosophy for the whole world. We have different needs and different legacies.

8. What excites you about cooking and the culinary world in 2024?

At Hisa Franko, we took a challenge to dedicate the menu of 2024 to contemporary art. It's a work in progress. I believe cooking is one of the biggest arts, and we sometimes forget that. When you go to a fine-dining restaurant, you should realise it's like going to an art gallery. That's what more chefs and guests should be aware of.

9. What's a change you would like to see in kitchens by 2025?

I would say more sustainable timetables, but it's very difficult to apply them. For instance, Hisa Franko has very high labour costs and I can't reduce it because I'm paying my people fairly. But they put in a lot of hours. At the same time, I cannot afford to have two teams on the floor.

This is a critical debate that has been going on for some time - Is the fine dining world going to survive? It's unfair to not compensate your people properly when they work so hard. On the other hand, you might like to reduce their hours, but you cannot raise the prices of the restaurant so much anymore. Otherwise, people will think you're crazy! Hisa Franko raised its prices a lot this year. I would like my people to work less. At the end of the season, we're so tired. But finding that balance is a struggle and happens slowly. It's what comes with the package of this type of cooking.

10. What advice would you give specifically to self-taught chefs?

Don't try to be like everyone else, because you simply are not. If you are self-taught, you have the freedom to express yourself. Do not blindly imitate chefs who are doing things that they have learned how to do. Being yourself and being unique is the greatest art that anyone can express.

11. Considering this is your third trip to India, what are you looking forward to the most?

The organisers of the event ensured that we were able to go to the wet market here as well as the spice market in Old Delhi. They gave us a glimpse of real Indian life so we could absorb the real flavour of India. According to me, you can find the real flavour of India more often on the streets than in luxurious restaurants. Life always comes from the basics.

12. What's your favourite Indian dish?

All the flatbreads! Every day I'm trying to understand how each flatbread here has a different consistency, and why. At home, I'm going to start experimenting and feeding my husband different flatbreads. Let's see if I can manage to nail the various types.

Rapid-Fire Questions:

1. Guilty pleasure food? - Pizza

2. Favourite midnight snack? - I don't snack at night

3. A dish you struggled to make? - Potica. It's a traditional Slovenian festivity dessert that every housewife knows how to make excellently - but not me. I think I try to make it too rich and then it all falls apart.

4. Top food destination on your bucket list? - Malaysia. I have never been there and I feel like I need to explore the wonderful food there.

5. Your favourite cuisines while dining out? - I love trying ethnic and local cuisines while travelling. If I had to choose one, I would vote for Italian cuisine.

6. A kitchen gadget you cannot live without? -  A hand blender. It can substitute nearly all others.