The JRE Academy, the largest conference in the development of applied knowledge in the field of hospitality and tourism, can once again boast of bringing numerous domestic (Igor Jagodic, Uroš Štefelin, Marko Pavčnik, Uroš Mencinger, Tomaž Sršen, Boštjan Napotnik, Mag. Janez Rebec, Ana Le Merechal, Jernej Smisl, Roni Kordiš, Mojca Cepuš, Ksenija Mahorčič, Ožbej Peterle, Lenart Plavčak, Miralem Junuzović, Borut Florjančič, Gregor Božičnik) and international (Daniel Lehmann, Michela Scarello, Boris Kovaček, Tea and Stiven Vunić, Luka Peranic) speakers to the "speaker's chairs" in one day, with more than 200 attendees.

The topics discussed in roundtable discussions, panels, and practical modules revolved around the overarching message that hospitality is not gambling. It is a serious business that requires a lot of dedication, effort, work, and above all, love from the hosts to be able to share it with the guests. Owners of renowned foreign and domestic restaurants, as well as experts in entrepreneurship, marketing, nutrition, and influential Slovenian culinary critics, shared their views, experiences, ups and downs, and opinions with the visitors and the event host, Bine Volčič.

This year's event was also honored by the presence of the President of the JRE Jeunes Restauranteurs umbrella organization, Daniel Lehmann, who has been closely following the gastronomic development of "small" Slovenia with great interest. "I am pleased to observe all that your country has managed to do and build in the field of gastronomy lately, as I believe that JRE-Slovenia has played a very important role in this. With a comprehensive approach and a clear vision, the Slovenian association represents an important player among all JRE members and one of the most active countries in the umbrella organization in recent years." He also did not forget the important role of Gašper Puhar (Galerija okusov), the Vice President of the international JRE association, who successfully connects the national level with all the possibilities that the umbrella organization offers. In the past year, the JRE association has been experiencing accelerated growth - both in Slovenia and internationally, welcoming two new countries (Bulgaria, Turkey) into its membership, undoubtedly thanks to Puhar's significant contribution.

One year after taking over as the president of JRE-Slovenia, Grega Repovž (Gostilna Repovž) looks very positively at the further development of the association and JRE Academy: "Organizing an event of this magnitude represents an exceptional challenge for us, so I am pleased that we have successfully sold it out for the second time. This undoubtedly shows that Slovenian gastronomy strives for development, which is one of the key goals and missions of JRE-Slovenia." At the same time, he emphasizes that the conceptual idea of the JRE Academy originated in small Slovenia, and other, larger member countries do not implement it, but they look up to its good practices and wish to have similar events in their countries.

Dubravka Kalin, the Director-General of the Directorate for Tourism at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, highlighted that tourism development in Slovenia is a challenging field, and the contribution of associations like JRE is crucial to developing into a green, boutique destination with quality culinary offerings, which will be a significant factor in tourists choosing to visit Slovenia.

JRE Academy took place as part of the Days of Slovenian Tourism 2023, co-organized by major tourism institutions in Slovenia, including the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the Slovenian Tourist Board, the Tourism Association of Slovenia, the Tourist and Catering Chamber of Slovenia, and others. This year's academy was also supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and the Selected Quality certificate.

JRE awards were also presented at the event. JRE awards promote high standards in hospitality and reward the efforts and achievements of those who have made a significant impact in the industry with their projects, creativity, and dedication. These prestigious awards are presented by JRE-Slovenia to organizations and individuals who contribute significantly to the development of hospitality. Behind it all lies a common denominator: creativity, initiative, dedication, and passion.

Recipients of the JRE Awards 2023:

• Gostilna Mihovec - Promotion of Slovenian tradition and an example of a traditional inn

• Hiša Raduha – Solidarity contribution to the aftermath of natural disasters, flood 2023

• NKBM – Implementation of sustainable practices in the business segment

• Slovenian Tourist Organization – For the strategic contribution to the green direction of Slovenian gastronomy and its promotion

• Tourism Ljubljana - For the successful development of a tourist-gastronomic destination

• Ana Roš – Award for outstanding culinary achievements and an example, inspiration, and inspiration to other hosts

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Gostinstvo ni gambling

Petrovče, 16. november 2023 – Leto po uvodnem dogodku so 15. novembra v organizaciji združenja JRE-Slovenija v hotelu Perla (Nova Gorica) o prihodnosti gostinstva, njegovem trajnostnem razvoju, lokalnosti, slabostih in priložnostih diskutirali številni domači in tuji govorci in obiskovalci.

JRE Akademija, največja konferenca s področja razvoja aplikativnega znanja na področju gostinstva in turizma, se tudi letos lahko pohvali s tem, da je v enem dnevu na “govorniške stolčke” pripeljala številne domače (Igor Jagodic, Uroš Štefelin, Marko Pavčnik, Uroš Mencinger, Tomaž Sršen, Boštjan Napotnik mag. Janez Rebec, Ana Le Merechal, Jernej Smisl, Roni Kordiš, Mojca Cepuš, Ksenija Mahorčič, Ožbej Peterle, Lenart Plavčak, Miralem Junuzović, Borut Florjančič, Gregor Božičnik) in mednarodne (Daniel Lehmann, Michela Scarello, Boris Kovaček, Tea in Stiven Vunić, Luka Peranic) govorce, ki jim je prisluhnilo več kot 200 obiskovalcev.

Teme, okoli katerih je na okroglih mizah, panelih in praktičnih modulih tekla beseda, so se vrtele okoli krovnega sporočila, da gostinstvo ni gambling. Je resen posel, ki od gostincev zahteva veliko požrtvovalnosti, truda, dela in predvsem ljubezi, da to kar počnejo lahko razdajajo med goste. Svoj pogled, izkušnje, vzpone, padce in mnenja so z obiskovalci in s povezovalcem dogodka, Binetom Volčičem, delili tako lastniki priznanih tujih in domačih restavracij, pa tudi strokovnjaki s področja podjetništva, marketinga, nutricionistike in vplivni slovenski kulinarični kritiki.

Letošnji dogodek je s svojim obiskom počastil tudi predsednik krovnega združenja JRE Jeunes Restauranteurs, Daniel Lehmann, ki gastronomski razvoj “male” Slovenije zadnja leta spremlja z velikim zanimanjem. “Veseli me opazovati, kaj vse je vaša država v zadnjem času uspela narediti in zgraditi na področju gastronomije, saj verjamem, da je tudi JRE-Slovenija pri tem imel zelo pomembno vlogo. S celovitim pristopom in jasno vizijo slovensko združenje predstavlja pomembnega akterja med vsemi JRE članicami in v zadnjih letih eno najaktivnejših držav krovnega združenja.” Ob tem ni pozabil niti na pomembno vlogo Gašperja Puhana (Galerija okusov), podpredsednika mednarodnega združenja JRE, ki uspešno povezuje nacionalni nivo z vsemi možnostmi, ki jih krovna organizacija ponuja. Združenje JRE v zadnjem letu izvaja pospešeno rast – tako v Sloveniji kot mednarodno, in v članstvo priključuje novi dve državi (Bolgarija, Turčija), čemur gre zagotovo velika zasluga Puhana.

Eno leto po imenovanju na mesto predsednika JRE-Slovenija Grega Repovž (Gostilna Repovž) na nadaljnji razvoj združenja in JRE Akademije gleda zelo pozitivno: “Organizacija dogodka takšne razsežnosti za nas predstavlja izjemen izziv, zato me veseli, da smo ga tudi v drugo uspešno razprodali. To vsekakor kaže, da slovenska gastronomija teži k ravzoju, kar je eden ključnih ciljev in smotra JRE-Slovenija”. Hkrati izpostavlja, da je idejni koncept JRE Akademije nastal prav v mali Sloveniji, v drugih, večjih članicah združenja pa ga ne izvajajo, a se po njegovih dobrih praksah že zgledujejo in si tovrstnih dogodkov želijo tudi pri njih. 

Dubravka Kalin, generalna direktorica Direktorata za turizem pri Ministrstvu za gospodarski razvoj in tehnologijo, je izpostavila, da je razvoj turizma v Sloveniji zelo zahtevno področje in da je doprinos združenj, kakršno je JRE, pomemben pri tem, da se bomo v prihodnje razvijali v zeleno, butično destinacijo s kakovostno kulinarično ponudbo, kar bo pomemben dejavnik odločanja turistov za obisk Slovenije.

JRE Akademija je potekala kot del Dnevov slovenskega turizma 2023, ki nastajajo v so-organizaciji večjih institucij s področja turizma v Sloveniji, med drugim Ministrstva za gospodarski razvoj in tehnologijo, Slovenske turistične organizacije, Turistične zveze Slovenije, Turistično gostinske zbornice Slovenije in drugih. Letošnjo akademijo je podprlo tudi Ministrstvo za kmetijstvo, gozdarstvo in prehrano in certifikat Izbrana kakovost.

Na dogodku so bile podeljene tudi JRE nagrade. JRE nagrade spodbujajo visoke standarde v gostinstvu in nagrajujejo prizadevanja ter dosežke tistih, ki so v tej industriji pustili pomemben pečat s svojimi projekti, kreativnostjo in predanostjo. Gre za prestižne nagrade, ki jih JRE-Slovenija podeljuje organizacijam in posameznikom, ki izjemno prispevajo k razvoju gostinstva. V ozadju vsega tega pa stoji skupni imenovalec: kreativnost, prodornost, predanost in strast.

Prejemniki JRE nagrad 2023:

• Gostilna Mihovec - Promocija slovenske tradicije in vzor tradicionalne gostilne

• Hiša Raduha – Solidarnostni doprinos za reševanje posledic naravnih katastrof  poplave 2023

• NKBM – Implementacija trajnostnih praks v poslovnem segmentu

• STO – Za strateški doprinos zelene usmeritve slovenske gastronomije in njeno promocijo

• Turizem Ljubljana - Za uspešen razvoj turistično gastronomske destinacije

• Ana Roš – Nagrada za izjemne kulinarične dosežke ter vzor, navdih in inspiracijo ostalim gostincem

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