Ana Roš of Slovenia's Hiša Franko named The World’s Best Female Chef 2017
Roš, a self-taught chef who runs the family restaurant alongside her sommelier husband Valter, will receive her award at the ceremony at Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building on 5 April.
Voted for by almost 1,000 international restaurant industry experts and gourmets from 26 regions around the world, The World's Best Female Chef award is given to notable female chefs. Previous winners include Dominique Crenn last year, as well as Hélène Darroze (2015), Helena Rizzo (2014), Elena Arzak (2013), Nadia Santini (2012) and Anne-Sophie Pic (2011).
William Drew, group editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “Ana Roš is a very worthy recipient of this year’s World’s Best Female Chef honour. Her precision, attention to detail and imagination distinguish her as a true leader in global gastronomy. Her passion for local ingredients, her investment in people and her commitment to elevating the culinary arts in her native Slovenia make her an inspirational role model.”
Roš, a former ski champion, grew up influenced by the cuisines of Slovenia’s neighbouring countries – Italy, Hungary, Austria and Croatia. In 2002, she and her husband took ownership of the restaurant from Valter's father.
At Hiša Franko, 44-year-old Roš draws inspiration from Slovenia’s culinary heritage and ingredients, adding audacious, surprising twists to traditional dishes and with the restaurant just 3km from the Italian border she takes advantage of the location to source ingredients from local producers.
She said: “The award came as a surprise to me. It is a big responsibility to accept this award, especially as a self-taught cook, but the recognition provides an opportunity for people to reassess Slovenia as an interesting gastronomic destination.”
The World's Best Female Chef award is one of a number of special awards given by The World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and The World's Best Pastry Chef award.
