BIG BERRY Chef: Gorazd Potočnik
Photos by: Peter Zakrajsek and Tjaša Miketič
Gorazd Potočnik, a unique taste of chocolate
Through his cooking creation, Gorazd makes you feel his passion for his pastries
Please, welcome the famous Gorazd Potočnik, who specializes in pastry making and is known for participating on several Slovenian and Bosnian TV shows, such as Gorazdova slaščičarna. He was at the Opening of BIG BERRY Kolpa Resort on the 28th April as the third BIG BERRY Chef of the season 2018. "I’ve learned a lot from the kitchens where I used to work, but when I began to take interest in pastry making there was nowhere I could l earn (…) so I listened to my heart and started making pastries’ saysGorazd.He started as a chef apprentice at Dušan Smrekar’s restaurant and has been making pastries since 2001. First he worked as a chef, but shortly after he became a confectioner, preparing customers’ orders and advising many people..
"I listened to my heart and started making pastries"
Credit: Peter Zakrajsek
Few years ago, he created his own workshop called ‘GOX’ and since then he has been making numerous desserts such as wedding cakes, customized chocolate boxes for business gifts and various creative cakes. He even makes his own Nutella, called ‘Goxella’, a tasty chocolate spread which is composed of natural and local ingredients
"My main guideline when I'm creating a dessert is freedom both in thought and word".
"My main guideline when I'm creating a dessert is freedom both in thought and word. This way, desserts mirror your thoughts", says Gorazd. Through his pastry making, Gorazd wants to make us feel the passion and freedom that a cake can contain. Sweetness, chocolate and freedom are three words used to describe his baking. ‘My passion for baking came from a chocolate pudding from a candy shop that I used to eat each Sunday and from the fact that I always wanted to cook my own eggs in the morning when I was a child’, adds Gorazd. This chocolate pudding that follows him throughout his entire life inspires his pastry creations. His passion led him to become a pastry chef but he loves cooking meat as well.
"Once my pastries baked, I opened a Gringo and I enjoyed the BIG BERRY's view from my jacuzzi. Now I am totally relaxed".
Taking up the challenge to make his pastries for the Opening of the BIG BERRY Kolpa Resort 2018, Gorazd Potočnik prepared three different desserts with Berryshka's products, a partner of BIG BERRY, for all guests. The desserts had to be eaten in a specific order. The first dessert was a raspberry lollipop with spruce tips surrounded by dark and milk chocolate. Then came the second dessert creation which, a mixture of blackberry and marshmallows swimming in cold chocolate sauce mixed with with Berryshka liquor. The last tasty dessert was a group of sweets containing chocolate pralines, strawberries with tarragon and chocolate truffles with roses.
Credit: Peter Zakrajsek
"Cocktails have been made from delicious drinks from our local partners".
Various cocktails were introduced at the Opening of BIG BERRY Kolpa Resort. Cocktails have been made from delicious drinks from our local partners such as Semiška Penina’s sparkling wine, Domačija Kuzma's natural wine, raspberry wine from Kmetija Pavlovič and beers from Pivovarna Vizir. The refreshing and rich Pivovarna Vizir was also offered to guests during the Opening. BIG BERRY hosted a lot of guests at the Opening of the Kolpa Resort.
4th BIG BERRY chef On 5 May 2018, at the Opening of the resort, BIG BERRY will welcome Almir Begić, a cook that you might have heard of. He currently works as a chef at the “Pod Skednom” restaurant at the Pule Estate.
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