Jure Dretnik is the young chef who represented Slovenia, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2021 at the European Young Chef Award 2019.

21 years old, Jure finished a cooking and tourism programme at the service industry school of Velenje and is now a student in the gastronomy master at the Vocational College of Hospitality and Tourism of Maribor.

During his studies, he had different learning experiences in restaurants both in Slovenia and in Europe, where he had the chance to increase his cooking knowledge.

For his dishes, he likes to take inspiration from the stories of his region and use local products.

After finishing his master, Jure aims to spend a few years learning and working abroad and then fulfil his dream to “open my own fine dining restaurant, in my region Carinthia, where I would like to connect traditional and modern cuisine.”