"Youth to Youth" is a project with the main goal of promoting and advocating the hospitality profession and igniting a passion for hospitality and culinary arts among young people. Gašper Puhan, a resident of Celje and the visionary leader of the project, who serves on the JRE-Slovenia board as a member, overseeing strategic development and partnerships, and holding the position of vice president of JRE-Jeunes Restauranteurs, the largest gastronomic association in high cuisine with over 390 members across Europe, explained, "The first exposure to hospitality often comes from school cafeteria workers who strive to do their best. This image of overworked cafeteria staff doesn't always showcase the full potential and glamour of this profession, which could inspire young people to pursue a long-term career in hospitality. To ensure an educated workforce attracted to the hospitality industry, we must show young people the true value and potential of this profession from an early age."

The project was designed to involve 36 eighth and ninth graders, who, together with top chefs from JRE-Slovenia, prepared a 3-course menu for a total of 120 participants, including their fellow students and invited guests. Marko Pavčnik from Pavus, responsible for the culinary presentation of JRE-Slovenia, led the group that prepared trout in three ways, while the main course with local chicken was prepared by Uroš Štefelin from Hiša Linhart, and the chocolate dessert was created under the guidance of Marko Magajne from Galerija okusov.

Uroš Štefelin, who had previously inspired young talents on the cooking show "Mali šef Slovenije," highlighted during the event: "We always gladly respond to invitations from schools to collaborate. We must emphasize the importance of understanding food and its sustainable aspects from an early age. We are extremely pleased that we have succeeded in inspiring elementary school students in Celje through this project."

The event was also attended by the principals of the Celje School of Hospitality and Tourism and the Frana Roša Elementary School. Both addressed the importance of developing good educational events and projects that will further strengthen the Slovenian educational system.

Saša Kundih, the deputy mayor of the Municipality of Celje, addressed the elementary school students and all those present, emphasizing the importance of mutual collaboration among different institutions and commending such initiatives that the Municipality is always happy to support. The entire project also had a charitable focus and was supported by a long-term partner of JRE-Slovenia, SistemPRO, the representative of Electrolux Professional in Slovenia, who provided an upgrade to the school kitchen with a refrigeration system and a cutting device, which will make the work of the school cafeteria staff easier.

The project was designed in collaboration with educational institutions' professional collaborators and went a step further. In conjunction with the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste in September, elementary school students received a project task: to prepare a dish using leftover Sunday lunch. The competition was won by Karpo Felicijan, who demonstrated his exceptional creativity in developing recipes and later in service. Such an event also required service, which was handled by a group of elementary school students with the assistance of high school students.

The pilot execution of the "Youth to Youth" project showed that young people can indeed inspire younger generations to consider a career in the hospitality industry. The project, designed and executed with passion and dedication, is believed to be replicated in other elementary schools, as, through collective efforts, we can continue to build a better future and continue to inspire new talents in the culinary world while contributing to the development of the hospitality profession.

Dobrodelni dogodek »Mladi mladim«

Kako lahko mladi navdušijo mlajše, se je pokazalo na odlično zasnovanem in pilotno izvedenem projektu Mladi mladim, ki je bil izveden 11. oktobra pod okriljem združenja JRE-Slovenija in skupaj s soorganizatorji Mestno občino Celje, Osnovno šolo Frana Roša Celje in Srednjo šola za gostinstvo in turizem Celje.

Mladi mladim je projekt, katerega glavni cilj je spodbujati in promovirati gostinski poklic ter zbuditi strast do gostinstva in kulinarike že med mladimi. "Prvi stik z gostinstvom pogosto izhaja pri šolskih kuharicah, ki se trudijo opravljati svoje delo po svojih najboljših močeh. Ta podoba preobremenjenih kuharic pogoste ne pokaže vsega sijaja tega poklica, ki bi lahko mlade navdušil za dolgoročno kariero v gostinstvu. Če želimo zagotoviti izobražen kader, ki ga bo pritegnilo gostinstvo, moramo že v zgodnjih letih izobraževanja mladim pokazati pravo vrednost in potencial tega poklica." je povedal Gašper Puhan, Celjan in idejni vodja projekta, ki v JRE-Slovenija kot član upravnega odbora skrbi za strateški razvoj in partnerstva ter opravlja funkcijo podpredsednika krovnega združenja JRE Jeunes Restauranteurs, ki je največje gastronomsko združenje visoke kulinarike z več kot 380 člani širom Evrope.

Projekt je bil zasnovan tako, da je 36 osmo in devetošolcev skupaj z vrhunskimi chefi JRE-Slovenija pripravilo 3-hodni meni za skupno 120 udeležencev – njihovih sošolcev in sošolk ter povabljene goste. Marko Pavčnik iz Pavusa, ki skrbi za strokovnost kulinarične predstavitve JRE-Slovenija, je prevzel skupino, ki je pripravila postrv na tri načine, glavno jed z domačim piščancem je skupaj z učenci pripravil Uroš Štefelin iz Hiše Linhart, čokoladno sladica pa je nastala pod mentorstvom Markota Magajneta iz Galerije okusov.

Uroš Štefelin, ki je mlade navduševal v kuharski oddaji Mali šef Slovenije, je ob dogodku izpostavil: »Vedno z veseljem odgovorimo na vabila šol za sodelovanje. Poudariti moramo pomen razumevanja hrane in njenih trajnostnih vidikov že v zgodnjih letih. Z občutkom, da smo s projektom uspeli navdihniti celjske osnovnošolce, smo izjemno zadovoljni.«

Dogodka sta se udeležila tudi ravnatelja Srednje gostinske šole za gostinstvo in turizem Celje in Osnovne šole Frana Roša. Oba sta izbrane nagovorila o pomenu razvoja dobrih izobraževalnih dogodkov in projektov, ki bodo se dodatno krepili slovensko izobraževalno shemo.

Osnovnošolce in vse zbrane je nagovorila tudi podžupanja Mestne občine Celje Saša Kundih, ki je poudarila pomen medsebojnega povezovanja med različnimi institucijami in pohvalo za tovrstne pobude, ki je Mestna občina vedno z veseljem podpre. Celoten projekt je bil tudi dobrodelno naravnan. Podprl ga je dolgoletni partner JRE-Slovenija, SistemPRO, predstavnik Electrolux Professional za Slovenijo, ki je poskrbel za posodobitev šolske kuhinje s hladilnim sistemom in napravo za rezanje, kar bo olajšalo delo šolskim kuharicam.

Projekt je bil zasnovan v sodelovanju s strokovnimi sodelavci izobraževalnih institucij in je šel še korak dlje. Ob mednarodnem dnevu ozaveščanja o izgubah hrane in zavrženi hrani v septembru, so osnovnošolci prejeli projektno nalogo: pripraviti jed iz ostankov nedeljskega kosila. Na natečaju je zmagal Karpo Felicijan, ki je s svojo izjemno kreativnostjo pokazal svoj talent pri pripravi receptov kot tudi kasneje v strežbi. Takšnemu dogodku pritiče tudi strežba, za kar so poskrbeli skupina osnovnošolcev ob pomoči dijakov srednje šole.

Pilotna izvedba projekta Mladi mladim se je pokazala, da lahko mladi resnično navdušijo mlajše generacije za gostinski poklic. Projekt, ki je bil zasnovan in izveden s strastjo in predanostjo pa verjamemo, da bomo še ponovili na drugih osnovnih šolah, saj lahko s skupnimi močmi nadaljujemo graditi boljšo prihodnost in še naprej navdušujemo nove talente v svetu kulinarike ter prispevamo k razvoju gostinskega poklica.