Gastronomy is an essential part of the unforgettable experience our guests take away from their stay at TRINITY Hotels & Resorts. That's why we decided to introduce the new chef at Hotel SITNO, Branislav Adamec, on our blog. Get to know Branis, his journey to becoming the head chef at SITNO and his relationship with gastronomy. Find out how the gastro sphere has changed in recent years and how Braňo cares for the taste buds of the guests of Hotel SITNO in the heart of the Štiavnické vrchy mountains.

Do you cook at home, or are you "fed up" after a day in the kitchen at SITNE?

Yes, I like to cook at home. It's in the home kitchen that I like to try new things and experiment. That's how I'm starting to create my menu. My wife also works in gastronomy and is my biggest critic. She gives me direct feedback without hesitation and can give me a lot of criticism but also praise. In this I have a great support in my wife.

What experiences have brought you to the position of chef at Hotel SITNO?

Counting school, I have been in the gastronomy industry for 28 years. When you like to cook, you want to go and gain experience directly in the kitchen and not spend time on theory. At the age of 17, I got into the then top restaurant Afrodita in Partizánske, which was run by Marián Filo. Marián opened the door to gastronomy for me. At Afrodita I went through everything from washing dishes to side dishes, salads, sauces, soups, hot kitchen to "sous-chef" (the right hand of the chef).

As a chef, it is extremely important for me to go through all the positions within the kitchen and I am grateful for the experience. A chef has to be a complex person who knows everything about every nook and cranny of the kitchen... it's important to go through the whole kitchen to be able to judge what it's like to be in that position in the future.

After 8 years I wanted to try something different, new... so I decided to go to the Tatras. I also worked in Germany for a while, but working abroad didn't fulfill what I expected. I love Slovakia and there is no reason to go somewhere else when we have enough quality hotels and restaurants here. I also worked at the Atrium Hotel in the High Tatras, so I had previous experience with the Trinity chain, but I was already aspiring to work at the SITNO hotel. When the then head chef Ladislav Belák offered me a job here, I did not hesitate. I like this hotel very much and it was an obvious choice for me. I see great potential in Hotel SITNO.

What is your favourite food?

There is no favourite food... they are all favourites.:)

"When a chef cooks, he has to cook with love," it may sound like a cliché, but I say it quite often to my colleagues in the kitchen... if they don't put their heart into cooking, then it translates into taste. That's why I don't have a favourite dish, because I try to prepare every single dish 100%, and every single dish is a favourite then.

Do you see the job of a chef as a creative one?

Yes, one has to be really creative and constantly try new things. Sometimes I visit other restaurants that can give me a pinch of inspiration, but I like to come up with my own culinary ideas the most. I love Slovak and Czech-Slovak cuisine. I try to combine the traditional with the unconventional and, for example, use things that have long been discarded by chefs and serve them in a "new dress". I reach for my grandmother's recipes and use them in modern gastronomy.

Barley groats, for example. Nobody uses them in the kitchen anymore. But when I can incorporate them into a delicious dish that people like and break down their prejudices against grits, it's a wonderful feeling. I can add value to even ordinary grandmothers' dishes, to arrange the food beautifully and to link it with other flavours. I love surprising people with original flavours and making simple recipes creative and tasty.

How would you describe the atmosphere in the kitchen?

I think the atmosphere in the kitchen is very good. I try to run it in a way that makes people laugh and enjoy their work. Only then is the result fantastic, just as I imagine it. Because when you feel good in the kitchen, the food tastes good. I don't want to be a directive chef who just gives orders, I try to explain my idea to my colleagues and find the best solution together.

What is your opinion on the current problem of the lack of people in the gastronomy sector?

Covid has shuffled the cards a lot when it comes to gastronomy. On the one hand, I have to say that there is a positive effect, because less good and low-quality restaurants have been "sorted out" in Slovakia. As far as the staff are concerned, it is extremely difficult at this time, because there is a great deal of distrust in the work of the catering industry. It is now a huge problem to draw people back in and motivate them to believe in the profession. When the pandemic closed down, the first round of closures were hotels and restaurants. Now the market seems to have shifted and, on the other hand, young chefs with no experience are asking too much in terms of financial remuneration because they know there is a shortage of people. I am not happy about that, but there are many of us who have remained loyal to gastronomy because it is in our hearts.

How often do you try to come up with new recipes and change up the menu?

The buffet is more or less year-round, but we're always trying to add new items and enrich the selection for guests here as well. In the a la carte kitchen we come up with seasonal dishes three times a year, with autumn and winter sharing the same menu. We also have a new concept called "Live Cooking" which is in great demand. As part of live cooking during the summer, we grill marinated cuts of meat on large grills right on the terrace of our hotel in front of our guests, for example, and we always try to enrich these entrées with added value in the form of home-made cuisine, such as unusual dips, home-made pickles, potatoes from the stump or homemade beetroot or potato bread. The feedback from the client is fantastic as we create a homely atmosphere together and we can even exchange a few experiences with each other along the way. Empty plates and the fact that we have nothing left over and everything is always eaten reinforces that we are doing it right and most importantly deliciously with a unique atmosphere.

Do you also use local suppliers in your kitchen?

Yes, we try to support local suppliers and of course, their products are also different in taste than ingredients from supermarket chains. We are currently starting a cooperation with Salaš pod Vtáčnikom, which offers really high quality cow and sheep cheeses made from unpasteurised milk, which you can also taste in our showcase in the WCTL bar.

Appearance versus taste of the dishes?

The look and taste of the food must be combined into one perfect experience. At SITNE, we put a lot of emphasis on plating, because first and foremost, it's the eyes that eat. The food has to look nice, but the taste also has to correspond with it for the guest to have an experience eating with us. Because an experiential restaurant is not just about making the food look beautiful, it's also about experiencing all the flavours in it. The biggest reward for me is when guests enjoy the experience so much that they want to repeat the experience and come back. That's the greatest satisfaction for food preparation that a chef can get.

What culinary wisdom do you like to share with readers?

Honestly, I don't have any similar wisdom... Unless the one I've already mentioned and often recite to colleagues. One should cook with the heart... if one doesn't enjoy it, one better not do it because it will reflect on the food. And outside the kitchen I follow the old golden motto Live and let live.:)

Thank you so much for your answers and we look forward to an unforgettable culinary experience in your kitchen at Hotel SITNO.

Read also the interview with the new Head of F&B Manager at Hotel SITNO, Jozef "Laky" Lakota, not only about the cooperation between F&B and the kitchen - Cooperation with the kitchen works at the highest level here.