Vila Podvin, Slovenija

Vila Podvin : A MICHELIN Star in the Alpine Slovenian town of Radovljica

"A charming hotel-restaurant north of the village of Mošnje, near Radovljica, this former stable-turned-dining room (since 1968) now hosts a one MICHELIN star kitchen led by Chef Uroš Štefelin while Marcela Klofutar orchestrates the estate. As Marcela toured us through the elegant garden, its deep community ties stood out: the restaurant’s stoneware is handmade by members of the Radovljica Centre for Training, Work and Care (CUDV), arts and crafts markets are held on the villa’s grounds, and the property is at the forefront of Taste Radol’ca, a month-long November festival celebrating local and sustainable gastronomy. When a second Covid-19 lockdown hit Slovenia, Chef Uroš began delivering his one-MICHELIN-star lunch menus to support employees and local suppliers, and he scheduled his culinary school for children online for November 14 and 21. His cuisine pays heartfelt homage to Slovenian culinary traditions he grew up with—preserving familiar flavors while balancing them for today and welcoming whatever foreign ingredients inspire him—with dishes that range from local sea bass from Piran and Slovenian rainbow trout fillets to beef tongue, apple purée, and Sauerkraut with tepka pears; comforting yet boldly high-gastronomy, this is pure New Slovenian cuisine. A guest-focused, team-driven ethos underscores fair wages, proper rest, and never letting down suppliers." - Le Guide MICHELIN